The Day Team Arrow Met Mama Smoak
by Child of Dawn
Summary: After a surprise visit from Felicity's mother during Sunday dinner; Felicity knows her mother must want something. After all, her mother's favorite pastimes are manipulating men, and getting what she wants. So what does her mother want? What does it mean for her? And what will happen between her and Oliver when Momma Smoak calls him out for his feelings towards Felicity?
1. Chapter 1

Felicity made no secret, at least to herself, that when she left Vegas to attend MIT; she was running away. She ran from the peers that ridiculed her for being smarter than them, she ran from a town that thrived off of the belief that there should be no consequences to what we do, but mostly she ran from a mother who couldn't, or rather wouldn't, understand her daughter. Felicity loved her mother, and she knew her mother loved her too. However, her mother lived a life that Felicity wanted no part of; which was made worse by her mother's belief that it was the life that she expected her daughter to fall into. Felicity loved her mother; but she refused to accept her mother's life as her own. So her mother, more or less, refused to accept Felicity at all. So she left, and she had never returned to Vegas for even one day since the day she left at seventeen.

She knew, deep down, that something must be wrong. Although she considered it her daughterly duty to at least try to call her mother twice a month; her mother never once called her, until last week. The phone call came in while she was running comms for the Arrow and Arsenal so she vowed to call her mother back as soon as she could and she did, but missed her in turn. It turned into a rather irritating game of phone tag that made Felicity start to wonder if her mother was intentionally not answering her call and calling when she knew she couldn't answer. Because most people were usually asleep, not helping hooded men take out criminals, when her mother would call.

Maybe, she should have tried harder to get ahold of her. Maybe, she should have just sucked it up, and booked a flight to Vegas to finally lay eyes on her mom for the first time in ten years and find out why her mother was finally calling her daughter. If she had done that, then maybe, just maybe; she wouldn't have saw the day Team Arrow met Momma Smoak.

* * *

It was a Sunday evening and they were gathered for dinner at her brownstone. It was a tradition that started shortly after they returned from imprisoning Slade in Purgatory. Oliver had said he wanted to make an effort for the team to spend time with each other under lighter circumstances, to counteract what they do. So, Felicity suggested Sunday dinner. She thought, families usually get together for Sunday dinner, and well, they were her family now. So, every Sunday Oliver, Dig, Lyla when she was home, Roy, Sin (who already knew about the Mirakuru and Sara, was now in on the whole secret), and sometimes Laurel would all cram into her little kitchen, dining, living area for food, fun, and relaxation.

The TV would be on to some game that might be getting watched, or not. There was mostly a lot of chatter and a lot of laughter; and Felicity couldn't but be grateful to see Oliver smiling more even though he still talked little. It wasn't uncommon that stories from days long past would get told, but no one ever questioned that Felicity's stories were never from her adolescent years. She was glad too, because her blood family was never a topic she relished in speaking about.

Dig was currently lounging on her couch with his hands draped across the back with Lyla dangling her swollen feet across Dig's lap. She was regaling Sin and Roy about their first attempt at domestic bliss. She could hear Lyla talking about their honeymoon and looked from her spot in the kitchen when she heard Sin burst into laughter. Felicity couldn't help but grin as she saw Sin looking at Roy, who looked like he might puke.

"Roy, how else do you think she got pregnant? Of course they have sex!" Sin bellowed.

"I know that!" he yelled back. "But it's like hearing about your uncle's sex life. Just because I know it exists doesn't mean I wanna hear about it!" he retorted.

She went back to putting the final touches on the last of their dinner while Oliver was pouring wine; none for himself, but he poured Sin a small glass even though she was underage.

"One glass", he said as he eyed Sin from the dining area with a slight twitch in his lip, and a glint in his eye daring her to argue.

Which of course she half-heartedly did, "Oh come on GQ; you know Felicity is going to let me have one after you all leave anyway" Sin grinned as Oliver turned toward Felicity with mock fury. The uptick in his lip, and the crinkle around his eyes gave him away and Felicity grinned widely back. Ever since Sara left and Sin learned the whole truth. Felicity invited her to stay in her spare room. There was a fair bit of opposition at first, but she agreed eventually. She could be persuasive when she wanted to be.

A light blush crept onto her cheeks as he winked at her humorously before pouring wine into her glass. He walked toward her in her open kitchen, set the now empty bottle down, "Now, who is the law breaker Ms. Smoak?" he asked jokingly in a whisper as he reached around her to grab a bowl of fruit salad.

Felicity felt the warmth of his body just slightly pressed up against her hip, and the blush on her cheeks spread. She knew he had done it on purpose, because he only needed to take one step behind her to reach the bowl without touching her. But he had been touching her a lot lately, nothing overt, but there seemed to be an intimacy there that hadn't been there before. Her voice was playful when she responded, "I highly doubt a glass of wine is on par with hacking into the Prison systems or the FBI database. I'll risk giving a 19 year old a glass of wine".

"Hey, just remember that, that mobster guy who committed all those murders was brought down for tax evasion. So, you never know. It might be underage drinking that gets you" Roy called out, smiling. Apparently paying more attention to them than Lyla and Dig. She could see the back of Dig's head shaking. She bet he had that knowing smile on his face.

"That's Al Capone, Roy. Not that mobster that committed all those murders" Felicity responded.

Roy's grin widened, "Whatever, Blondie. I'm just saying. You really wanna risk giving shorty a glass of wine. All the hero stuff down the tubes because you gave one glass of wine to a minor. I mean, let's be real. We can barely operate the security system without you. Ummppfff" Roy finished with an elbow to the ribs from Sin which made her smile.

"Shut up, Abercrombie. The world isn't going to end because Blondie gave me a glass of wine".

She and Oliver finished setting the table with Dig's quiet laughter in the background. Everyone stood up as Felicity called out, "Alright minions. Its dinnertime" when the doorbell rang.

Silence rung out loudly as suddenly Oliver dragged her behind him. She heard a shuffle that she assumed was Dig doing the same to Lyla, and Roy attempting to do the same to Sin. Which was followed by a 'thump' noise, a low buzzing argument in which she thought she heard Sin say 'I can protect myself you idiot'. It stopped abruptly when Oliver called a cease fire in his arrow voice and then everyone froze.

Realistically, Felicity knew if someone really meant harm they weren't going to ring her doorbell but they had been doing Sunday dinner for months, and no one had ever stopped by her house. Why would anyone? Everyone she cared about was already inside or at assassin training camp, as she liked to call it.

Everyone turned to look at her, silently asking if she was expecting anyone. She shook her head, all relaxation and fun was gone. It was replaced with intense combat readiness. With what they did, they couldn't just assume it was someone with the wrong address; especially since somehow the news had gotten ahold of footage of the arrow carrying her unconscious body on the bridge months ago. In the eyes of social media, the Arrow had saved her life twice, so random people have taken to looking her up to ask her about the Arrow. At first it was reporters, but thankfully they bought her story of not knowing who the arrow was. Now, she just gets the creepers that don't believe the news.

She moved in front of Oliver and met his tense gaze with her own, and then she started toward the door. His hand shot out and grabbed her. He there, his eyes still on her. They stood like that for a moment; in a silent argument. He wanted her to stay where she was, while he answered her door. He wasn't comfortable with her and Sin staying here alone after the first creeper showed up. She was vaguely aware of her doorbell ringing again. Finally, he let go, and made a gesture for Felicity to continue walking. She smiled tightly at him, and began walking past everyone; very aware of Oliver less than a foot behind her as everyone's eyes followed her movements. Too aware. Roy's fists were clenching, and Dig was reaching for the 9mm he never took off.

Before she reached the door; the bell was rung three more times in rapid succession and a loud, bell like voice rang out. Felicity froze mid step, and it was a testament of Oliver's fast reflexes that he stopped before running into her.

"FELICITY MEGHAN SMOAK! I know you're home. You answer this door right now. I will not stand out here in this heat and sweat!" The bell rung twice more. Felicity was in shock. She couldn't move. Hands came up on her arms and she jerked at the realization that Oliver was still right behind her, had his hands on her (in a very platonic way), and was looking down on her in concern. She turned her head to look up at him in slight panic and then looked at the others watching her every move. Ready to run at the door to protect her. Crap, she thought. They couldn't protect her from this.

"Felicity", Oliver said quietly so no one but her could hear, conscious that the others were watching everything from less than twenty feet away. "Who is it?"

She bit her lip, dread filled her stomach. This was not how she wanted Oliver, or any of her friends, to meet her mother. If she had, had it her way; they never would have met her. She shut her eyes, hoping just maybe when she opened them it would be her imagination and her mother wasn't really here. No such luck. She wasn't even lucky enough to tell Oliver herself; her mother took that from her and she was pretty sure everyone on her block heard her mother announce her presence.

"Felicity! This is no way to treat your mother! You open this door or I'm calling the cops and telling them something is wrong! Is that what you want? Do you want the cops here? Is that what it will take for you to let me inside?"

* * *

Oliver's eyebrows shot up and he looked at the door, and down at Felicity. She bowed her head in defeat and Oliver frowned at her, confused. He had lost his mother just months ago, of course he wouldn't understand why she wouldn't want to see hers. She looked away from him. Looked back at the table, at all the shocked eyes staring silently back at her. She let out a large breath, broke away from Oliver's hands, and trudged to the door.

Before turning the knob, she looked once more at them all, and mouthed 'I am so sorry'.

Oliver didn't understand what was going on. Obviously, her mother was not invited; but it was her mother. She should be happy to see her, right? Hell, he wished he had the chance to see his mother again. To tell her every secret he withheld; to tell her everything. To say thank you, to tell her he was sorry. But he didn't have that; he just had memories. So what was going on with Felicity that she didn't seem to want to see her mother? He tried to recall everything Felicity had said about her mother as she turned away from him and to the door. Her mother was a cocktail waitress in Vegas…..and he was lost after that. He glanced back at Dig for any help and he shrugged, now more relaxed but equally confused.

He knew how she took her coffee and liked her burgers, how she played with her necklaces and how she blushed when he would briefly let his guard fall just a little and let her see how he really felt, how she rambled in this way that often left him distracted and thinking of her, and how she was always, ALWAYS there for him when he needed her. But other than a handful of facts from her life before him; he knew nothing. How could she know everything about his family and he knew nothing of hers? His frown deepened, he remembered her remark about how she never talks about her family. At the time, he thought it was because of her father leaving; but was it because of her mother as well?

He watched her hand grip the door knob so tightly her knuckles were white. It turned so slow Oliver almost wondered if it was turning at all. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Roy and Sin inching closer to be in sight of the door. No doubt, more out of curiosity to get a glance into a part of Felicity's life she never let anyone see. There was some comfort in knowing that at least she had confided in no one else about her life before him; but part of him had wished she had confided in him even when she had confided in no one else, as he had often done with her. Even though, he of all people, could not judge her for keeping secrets when she still didn't know all that had happened to him in those lost five years.

Suddenly, "Felicity! I am serious I will—"she ripped the door open, like someone might rip off a Band-Aid, just before her mother could finish.

At first all he could see was how tense Felicity was in her rare shorts and tank top. He couldn't help but think it brought more attention to her petite figure than any of her dresses. Then he took in the woman standing opposite her. She was a stunning woman with a build just like Felicity only slightly taller, older. Her hair was a lighter shade of blonde, and he could pick out some obvious plastic surgery that was done: boobs, face lift, and maybe a few others that screamed 'I'm trying to still look and act thirty even though I'm in my fifties'. She had it all wrapped up in a siren red package that was little too low cut (with no bra) and a skirt that was a little too high. The dress though, looked slightly familiar; he thought Thea had a similar one she wore earlier this spring. Whatever the style; he recognized a well-kept cougar when he saw one and Felicity's mother definitely was dressing better than any cocktail waitress he ever met. Something did not add up. He didn't like things that didn't add up. Behind him he heard Roy whisper loudly, "HOLY SHIT! That's Felicity's Mom!" It was followed a 'thump' "OW!" and a baritone voice calling out "You two, knock it off". The 'thump, no doubt, was probably Sin punching Roy again and the voice belonged to Dig. He turned his attention back to Felicity and her unwelcome guest.

"Hello, Mother", Felicity stated. "What are you doing here"?

At first her mother's face appeared to be something of annoyance and she was about to say something less than ideal, he thought. Then she glanced over her daughters shoulder and saw him. The transformation was instant. She grabbed Felicity into a quick, bone crushing hug "Felicity, baby. Is that all you have to say to me after I flew nearly over half way across the country to come see you? Can't a mother just visit her daughter?" Oliver was disgusted by the fake hurt in her voice. He didn't know anything about this woman, but so far, other than the unaltered part of her appearance that reminded him of Felicity; he didn't like a thing about her.

Felicity's voice was cold when she replied, and she still hadn't moved from the door way to show any intention that she was going to invite her mother in. "Not when you haven't so much as called me in ten years, no. You don't get to _just visit me_".

TEN YEARS! Oliver was almost knocked backwards from the sheer force of his surprise. Somewhere in the back of his mind it occurred to him that Felicity might be more comfortable without an audience; not that he was leaving her, oh no, he was staying right here. However, with the efficiency of a well-oiled team and a few subtle hand gestures; his point was made and the others began to silently migrate toward the bench style dining room table that was too large for the space it was crammed in. Roy attempted to linger, but Dig grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him along.

Over Felicity's shoulder, she shamelessly looked him over and then in response to Felicity's statement she maneuvered her daughter just back enough to worm her way inside so gracefully that he doubted the casual observer would have noticed it was intentional. As she backed out of the hug and turned to Oliver she gleefully stated, "Oh, don't be needy Felicity. I told you it wasn't a good quality. Now, are you going to introduce me to your friend? Oops, I mean friends I guess. Are you having a dinner party?" She asked as she peeked around Oliver and saw the tail end of Dig and Roy heading into the dining room which wasn't in direct site to the entry way.

Oliver heard Felicity sigh dejectedly as she shut the door. He looked at her in concern as she looked at him; she shrugged but Oliver knew Felicity and Felicity was never like this with anyone. Hell, she even put a smile on her face for Isabel; before and after he'd slept with her. Not that he really wanted to ever remember sleeping with his father's mistress. He winced in disgust, internally.

With a gesture Felicity introduced her, "Mom, this is Oliver. At the table in the other room I have a few more friends. Oliver, this is my mother Donna". Felicity showed no sign of willingly letting her mother out of the entry way

Oliver's eyes never left Felicity's. There was a slight pleading look in them, so he put his public face on and smiled at Felicity's mother. He decided then, that he would find out what happened between Felicity and her mother. That, and the next time he heard Donna speak to Felicity in a condescending tone and say something like being needy again; he would forget about playing nice.

* * *

Before Felicity really knew what had happened; her mother had her arm linked with Oliver's and he was guiding her to the table to be better introduced with everyone. Felicity wanted her to leave. She didn't want her mother to sit with her friends and put on her Vegas seductress charms. Donna had a way to wrap people all up in her net and weave people just into the places that she wanted them; except Felicity. Felicity, didn't like the way her mother manipulated people. It was how she could just be a cocktail waitress in Vegas, but at the same time not. She was pretty sure her mother got off on manipulating people.

She delayed in the entry way as she heard Oliver introduce her mother better to her friends. She needed a plan. She knew her mother wasn't here to catch up; something must be going on. Either way, she was not staying under this roof for long. She started toward the kitchen and pursed her lips as she heard her mother cry out, "O! I had perfect timing. I am so Hungry. You know, they just don't feed you on those long flights anymore. Surely, there is enough for one more". It wasn't a question. Donna knew no one would be rude enough to say no; her mother just edged right into Felicity's seat like a queen as she winked at Oliver and gently gave his arm a squeeze. She watched Oliver tense ever so slightly and her ire for her mother rose.

Oliver hated when people tried to handle him and that was exactly what her mother was trying to do. _You need to stroke a man's ego_, her mother would say, _if you want to get a man to do what you want. Stroke his ego; make him believe you think he is strong, sexy, and everything you need in a man. _Only, her mother didn't know that Oliver was probably the last man in the world that would fall for that crap. She let out a sigh…..she hoped anyway.

As she approached, Oliver backed away from her mother and pulled out the only chair, his chair, and gestured for her to take a seat. His gaze met hers once more and it slightly eased her worry that he might be angry at her for being rude to her own mother; somehow she just knew in that one look that he understood. He also seemed to think she might argue about taking his seat because the second look he sent her told her that he wasn't going to sit next to her mother, or at all, if she was going to stand. She smiled slightly at him as her heart ached just a little at how well he knew her, and once again she saw the little uptick of the corner of his mouth that told her he found her amusing.

Giving in, she sat; but was barely sitting when she heard her mother's voice ring out. "Felicity, haven't I taught you anything? You always let the man sit at the head of the table". Everyone turned to look at her mother in a mix of shock and confusion of her censorship given that she that she arrived unannounced from thousands of miles away and basically invited herself in and to dinner.

She didn't get a chance to answer before Oliver cut in, with the tone he usually reserved for investors, or more recently, potential investors to help him get his company back. "Actually Mrs. Smoak. My mother raised me to always give up my seat to a beautiful woman. I will just grab an extra setting while you all start eating all this food Felicity made before it gets cold". He glanced down at Felicity and she was sure he saw the blush that crept up in her cheeks at the realization that he called her beautiful.

"Oh, it's not Smoak. It's Troy now". Felicity didn't bother commenting on the new last name. Her mother had been married at least three times in the past ten years that she knew of.

Then he turned to Lyla in silent communication and walked into the kitchen. Lyla shuffled her pregnant self just enough down on the bench seating to allow room for Oliver as he returned. Felicity smiled gratefully at him as he sat and placed a new glass of wine in front of her since her mother had taken hers, and took his glass of water.

After a few silent, awkward minutes of dinner her mother started with questions, "So how do you know my daughter Oliver? You're not her boyfriend. I think my daughter, at least would have told me if she was secretly dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the world"

Roy snorted and rolled his eyes, "Might as well be married." he remarked sarcastically and Oliver leveled him with a glare that made Sin laugh as Donna suddenly turned and eyed him momentarily like he was one of her high roller clients. Then her attention was back on Oliver. He was, after all, the big whale at the table. He may have lost his share in the company but due to his mother's life insurance policy and the recent sale of several properties; he was still comfortably sitting in millionaire status.

"How did you meet my daughter, Oliver?"

"She worked in QC's IT department. I brought her my laptop to fix" he responded readily and true enough. But she couldn't help but smirk a little at the memory of that day. Oliver glanced at her for a moment, and she saw he was probably thinking the same thing she was.

Then her mother asked another question, "Worked? She no longer works for QC? Was she fired for sleeping with you?" Felicity's fork dropped from her hand and the sound of it hitting her plate reverberated loudly in the silence. Everyone looked at her mother wide eyed, with forks suspended midair. She reached for her wine glass, sat back, and took a long sip. Screw it, she dealt with enough of these kind of questions while working for him. Let him deal with her mother, she decided.

Oliver opened his mouth, and then shut it. He didn't like people questioning him, and she would bet he thought her mother was being highly inappropriate, and she was. She could tell his patience for her mother was already running thin, and he had only met her less than ten minutes ago. "No, she wasn't fired. When I took over QC, I promoted her to my E.A".

Felicity sat back and watched as her mother fired off another question, "Is that because you were sleeping with her?"

Everyone watched on in horror as she heard what her own mother was insinuating, and Oliver responded with irritation thick in his voice. "No, she is my best friend, and I trust her to have my back".

Her mother looked gleeful as she watched Oliver get frustrated with her, and she kept going as everyone watched on in their verbal ping pong game, forks still suspended. And suddenly, she knew what her mother was doing. She had seen her mother do it before, to her first boyfriend. She took a long drink from her glass again, and waited. Watching her mother interrogate Oliver, and he didn't even realize that was what her mother was doing to him.

"You didn't deny sleeping with my daughter, Mr. Queen".

His lips pursed and his eyes narrowed on her mother. Admittedly, she kind of liked seeing her mother get a rise out of Oliver and wondered just where her mother was going. Because, she undoubtedly was heading somewhere; so just for a moment she found their interaction interesting. "I have never slept with Felicity. You don't think very highly of your daughter. Do you, Mrs. Troy?"

Her Mother sat back grinning, "On the contrary, I think my daughter very capable of doing anything. In fact, too capable. I think she is too smart, and too moral to get her job on her knees. But, how else was I supposed to figure out if you were just her friend, her boss, or if you were in love with her. You are in love with my daughter, are you not Mr. Queen?" Moments over.

Felicity was stunned, she never even felt the wine glass slip from her hand. Everyone sat statue still and wide eyed around the table until the sound of her wine glass shattering brought everyone back to life; everyone but Oliver. Roy burst into awkward laughter and then yelled to Dig, "See! We aren't the only ones that see it!" as Felicity rose from table to get something to clean the mess. Anger swelled up in her at her mother.

She glanced back as she walked into the kitchen just in time for Dig to hit Roy upside the head and say "It's time for you to go home Roy" and she couldn't be sure but Lyla's shaking shoulders made her think that her new friend found this to be quite funny.

"No, I want to see this. No one has ever gotten to Oliver like this. I want to see this", Roy yelled back.

Felicity could here Sin from the kitchen as she grabbed the broom and dustpan, "Get up Abercrombie, dinner is over and I want some ice cream. You're taking me".

"What? No, I'm not and you live here. Felicity always has ice cream".

"Damn it, Roy!" Felicity didn't see what she did, only heard the scratching of the bench as Roy stood and followed Sin down the hall. She could hear him muttering something about wanting to watch someone else's drama for a change as he walked out the door.

As she came back in she looked at her mother grinning at Oliver like Alice's Cheshire cat and acting like she didn't just make a table full people, her friends, completely uncomfortable. Not to mention that Oliver still hadn't moved. From the back of him though; the way he sat rigid straight and stock still. She would bet her personal tablet that he was leveling her mother with 'Angry Arrow face'.

Her mother made a sound that came out almost like a purr as she asked, "No response Mr. Queen?"

She heard a slight intake of breath from Oliver that indicated that he was going to say something but she cut him off. "No! Don't say anything! Don't give her what she wants. She is always good at getting what she wants". She threw her mother a look that would have sent her men running and it was backed with her loud voice. She was done. She didn't care what her mother wanted; she just wanted her gone. In less than fifteen minutes since she opened the door, her mother managed to destroy her Sunday dinner, set Oliver on edge, and turned her relationship with him into a joke for Roy to laugh at.

She saw Lyla and Dig stand as Dig said in a quiet voice, "We should probably go".

"Yes," she stated furiously, "And could you please take my mother with you. Drop her off at any one of the hotels along the way. I don't care which as long as she is gone".

Dig looked at her unsure and was about to say something but was cut off by her mother, "Surely, you don't intend for me to stay in hotel. Not when I flew all the way out here to see you, Felicity?" her voice was sweet and her tone was censure.

"Stop it! Just stop. I don't buy for one minute that you came out here to see me. You came out here because you need something from me, and right now I don't care. You are not staying with me. I don't even want to see you right now. Just leave".

Her Mother, for the first time since arriving looked somber as she put the wine glass down and stood, "Fine. I'll leave. I don't need a ride though, I rented a car". She walked to the door, but turned to face her before leaving. "I will call you tomorrow after you've calmed down".

Felicity waited for the sound of the door to click behind her mother, and when it did it was like a weight of tension lifted and left her feeling embarrassed, hurt, and vulnerable. She could feel the tears burning in her eyes.

* * *

He heard Dig tell Felicity they were leaving but he just sat there, stunned and angry. No one in his entire life had ever read him so quickly, so accurately. Sure people on the periphery of their lives had suspected something might have happened, or was happening between the two of them, but mostly it revolved around the fact that he promoted Felicity and well maybe he got caught looking at her legs as she walked away in some of her dresses a few times too. And even though he knew Roy and Dig suspected that it wasn't only Felicity's feelings that ran deeper than friendship; they had never openly called him on it for confirmation. But to have this woman, Felicity's mother at that, walked in here and under ten minutes just lay it all out like that. He didn't know how to respond, and he was pretty sure he was less stunned when Felicity and Dig tranq'd him with his own darts.

Dig was gone now, he vaguely remembered that Roy and Sin left too. He was alone with Felicity. What did he say to her? How did he figure his way out of this? Over the past month, he had been considering just letting go of his worries and seeing if he could be with her; because it wasn't a lie. He was in love with her and he knew it had been building for eighteen months but he hadn't realized fully that he had already fallen in love with her until he pulled her into that vacant Queen mansion and said it while setting that god awful trap for Slade. But it had dawned on him then, in that moment, how true those words were and it scared the hell out of him. He had wanted to kiss her right then and haul her out of there; Slade and Laurel be damned. He couldn't though; because Felicity would have never forgiven him if he sacrificed the city for her and if he had kissed her in that moment he knew there was no way he could have left her there.

He felt Felicity crouch next to his feet and heard her sniffle. Shit, he thought, how the hell did he fix this? He stood up and went to the kitchen to get a rag. Part of him was angry too, because her mother took this away from him. He knew Felicity had feelings for him, he wasn't blind; but this wasn't how he wanted her to learn about his feelings for her. Damn it! Just damn it!

He came back, and knelt by her side and silently helped clean up the glass. They worked to clean everything up until the table was clean and all the food was in the fridge. A pile of dishes was left in the sink and Oliver had been acutely aware of her soundless tears the entire time, but he just didn't know what to say. He started and stopped a dozen times.

As Felicity started running the water, he tried again "Felicity". Her name came out of his mouth quietly, and even he thought it sounded like a plea.

She turned on him, tears running down her cheeks and shaking "Don't. Please don't patronize me by giving me one of your speeches right now. You know how I feel about you. You've always known how I feel; and I'm not stupid either. You may not love me, but you have feelings for me too. So don't patronize me by denying it and don't only admit it because my mother called you on it. She knew exactly what she was getting at when she started asking you questions, and you fell right into it. I don't know why she cares, or why she is here but she wants something and my mother has a knack for reading people and manipulating them. So, I intend to find out what she wants and get her out of our lives before she ruins anything else. Then we can go back to acting like before".

Oliver felt lost and stunned again. When he had tried to say something earlier, he wasn't sure what he was even going to say. It wouldn't matter now that he had already been thinking about telling her the truth, if he told her she would believe it was only because of her mother. God, he hated that woman, ten minutes with her and he felt like he and Felicity were tail spinning out of control. Who would do that to her own daughter?

He didn't know what to do, or say. "Felicity?" he felt like he was begging for an answer, or a cue from her about what to do. She was his guiding light; the voice in his head when he wasn't sure.

She didn't give him one this time, "Just leave Oliver, please." She responded, pleadingly as she wiped more tears from her eyes.

Oliver searched her face for something, he wasn't sure. He felt like anything he did right now would be the wrong decision. So he did what he did on the island when she tried to get him to acknowledge his feelings then. He copped out, instead of facing what was in front of him. He nodded, turned on his heels and left. Feeling absolutely positive that leaving was the wrong answer, but unsure what the right one was.

* * *

Thanks to HIPKARRMA for being my beta and catching all my errors before the world had to read them!


	2. Emotional Overload

When the sun rose Monday morning; Felicity was already awake. More accurately, Felicity was still awake from the night before. After she, more or less, kicked everyone out of her house and made an embarrassment of herself in front of Oliver she basically decided to screw the dishes. So, she plugged all of her electronic babies, including her phone, downstairs and grabbed the second bottle of wine Oliver had opened and shut herself in her room.

She could hear her phone chirping and ringing until about midnight but she hadn't cared. She had refused to talk to anyone. Sometime after she finished the second glass of wine Sin knocked on her door and called her name. It was about a minute later that she went away. That was about 8pm.

By ten she finished the bottle and she felt thoroughly buzzed with a couldn't care less attitude, and by midnight she felt like shit. Not from the alcohol, but from everything else so she started crying all over again. By 1AM she had almost convinced herself to call everyone to apologize, but talked herself into waiting till morning. By 2AM she felt sober enough that she considered driving to Oliver's because she felt she should not have kicked him out when he so obviously wanted to tell her something, even if she was sure he didn't even know what he was going to say, but after what her mother did to him; she had owed him to at least listen.

She had almost done it too, she knew he likely wasn't sleeping. She'd never actually known him to sleep without it being induced by injury. She had gotten up and even put her shoes on; but then something outside her window caught her eye. She had forgotten to close her curtains and her light had been on. Her room would have looked like a beacon to him as he had watched her. She reached the window, pulled it open, and grabbed the arrow dangling there. She looked out, and saw him sitting on the ledge of the roof of the brownstone across from hers; he was just watching her. Had he been there all night? She had kicked him out when he wanted to be there with her; but he hadn't really left. She bit her lip, as she looked at him.

Backing away from the window to sit on her bed, she only looked away to unravel the paper coiled around the shaft of the arrow. It was a simple handwritten note. Two sentences, six words, and it made her start crying all over again. 'I'm sorry. Please talk to me.' Hadn't that been her plan? Wasn't she just going to go to him and tell him she was sorry for her outburst? But the truth was; she didn't know what she would say. Maybe she could just open her window and he could come in and they could try to talk. She looked back out the window, and he was gone. She sat like that, staring out the window and glancing down at the note, until about three.

At 3AM she had, had enough self- pity. So what if her mother showed up out of nowhere, seeing her daughter for the first time in ten years and embarrassed her. She was a big girl and these people were her real family. She owed them and herself better than responding to the situation like a child. Hell, they took down criminals and supervillains. She's hacked into federal databases, planted bugs, gone undercover, and faced that bitch Isabel. What could her mom throw at her that she couldn't handle? Of course, none of those things she had done with Team Arrow involved facing the years of belittling and criticism that came with her mother. The years of emotional torment of not being what her mother wanted, and knowing she was always second in position to whatever it was her mother was trying to get at the moment. But, she wasn't seventeen anymore, and she had a family here to support her and remind her she was strong.

So, she made a plan and at five in the morning she went downstairs to her electronic babies. She booted up her tablet, her computer, and took her phone with her in the kitchen. She stopped short to see all the dishes done and the coffee pot ready. There was a note next to it with a smiley on it. She knew it was Sin because the smiley also had horns, a tail, a pitch fork, and made her laugh. She hit start, and checked her phone while she waited. There were a combined ten texts and two missed calls from Dig, Lyla, and Roy. They all stopped at about eleven when Sin sent her a text, knowing she wouldn't get it till she came downstairs, saying she told them all she was alive and stop texting and calling. Only, Oliver kept up after that, but he finally stopped at about midnight. Was that when he came to her window?

Her shoulders sagged. She was surprised how upset he seemed to be over this. He was never one to say sorry, but he had. Concern for her welfare she understood, even checking on her she could understand too; but a handwritten note after at least a dozen texts plus phone calls was not Oliver. At least not the Oliver she knew. It made her ache even more inside. She shouldn't have kicked him out.

She poured her coffee, doctored it, and went to her tablet to get to work. She had a plan to start on.

* * *

Last night had been one of the hardest in Oliver's life, and he wasn't really sure why. He had been tortured, nearly killed, fought armies of super soldiers, taken down Slade twice, but never in all those times had his chest hurt like this. When she had asked him to leave last night, he did; and he knew he should have told her how he felt instead. He should have held her, let her cry, and asked her why she was really so upset. He found himself, inadvertently following Dig and Lyla home instead of going to his own. He needed advice, and Dig seemed to be the best and only viable option.

Talking to Dig had mostly gotten him nowhere and he got the overall impression that although Dig wanted to help him, he wanted him to leave more so he could take care of Lyla. Oliver couldn't really fault him for that. In his wildest dreams that occurred only in the deepest part of his heart; he imagined Felicity stunningly swollen with his child and he doubted there was a single person in this world that could stop him from taking care of her every whim if he was ever that lucky.

Dig agreed with Oliver's assessment that something else lay underneath Felicity's outburst with her mother more than just her calling out Oliver's feelings and more or less calling her daughter a slut. Then Dig point blank told him he knew Oliver was in love with her probably long before Oliver himself figured it out and that he whole heartedly believed they were good for each other. Then he kicked him out, but not before threatening to dismember him if he screwed this up and hurt Felicity.

He sent his first text to Felicity then, '_Please call me_'. She didn't respond, so he sent another '_Please?_' than another '_Felicity?_'. He tried calling her after that, and then his texts turned to '_You're scaring me'_ and '_Please answer'_ right before he tried calling her again. He didn't know how many times in total he texted her but he was sure it was somewhere around his tenth when Sin sent a group text, '_STOP IT! She is home, alive, and I'm trying to sleep_'. Besides himself, she had sent it to Roy, Dig, and Lyla. Well, at least he wasn't the only one she was ignoring he guessed; but it wasn't enough. He sent two more pathetic texts, and tried calling one more time. This time Sin texted only him, '_She didn't take her phone to bed with her, idiot'_.

His frowned deepened after that. Felicity never went to bed without her tablet and phone docked next to her. He knew this because she told him that 'she always wanted to be ready for him' and he remembered that her blush had made it down into the lines of her dress that day and when she started stammering about how she meant be ready for the arrow electronically, not sexually. Which had left him slightly distracted and grinning stupidly for an hour as he thought about coming into her window as the arrow and her waiting for him. He also knew this because sometimes, when he couldn't sleep or nights where she had been out in the field doing things for him; he would find himself perched on the roof across from hers and just watching her. Needing to see that she was okay.

The night after they returned from purgatory, he was really bad. He kept picturing Felicity with that sword at her neck and before he knew what he was doing; he found himself staring into her window. She had told him she was okay, but as he had sat there on that roof watching her cry that night. He knew she had lied to spare him. Then he couldn't help but wonder if there was anything she wouldn't do for him and how many times she had cried afterward. It was after that, he suggested that they needed fun days away from arrow and QC business. He had told her it was because he wanted them to have lighter moments to counteract the dark, but really it was because he wanted to spend more time with her away from all those things they did that made her cry. He wanted to see her smile more at him.

Tonight, had become like that night. He wasn't sure how it happened, but he had needed to see with his eyes that she was okay. He found himself perched in his usual spot, a part of himself was amazed that no one had seen him yet in the times he had perched here and another was slightly concerned that he had a place that was his 'usual perch' that allowed him to watch Felicity. Her light was on and he watched her crying in her bed for what felt like hours. He was torn between breaking into her room to try comforting her, and finding her mother and laying into her for doing this to her daughter. Although, he was well aware some of the blame was on him too. He just wasn't sure exactly how. So, he settled on trying to at least let her know he was sorry. It took less than ten minutes to write the note and sling to her window to hook up the arrow and get back. Then he waited. Shortly after, he watched her get up determined and put her shoes on, that's when she saw the arrow and seconds later, him. He couldn't look away even if he wanted to.

Even exhausted and blotchy from crying, he still thought she was beautiful. He watched as surprise and a bit of sadness crept onto her face while she stared at him and he wondered if he was right in letting her know he was there. That she wasn't alone, that she could talk to him. He wanted her to share her burden with him as he had done with her. When she finally had read the note, he could see the confusion and panic on her face, but mostly he saw her eyes well up with tears again. Something about the way she looked made him feel like he had been wrong. So he left, to give her the privacy she wanted. At least though, he knew she was physically okay.

He had made it to the foundry around 3 am, and was too keyed up to sleep. So worked out until he was guaranteed to pass out; which he did about 5 in the morning. At 7:30 he awoke with a start to the sound of his phone ringing Felicity's ringtone. He answered it without a second thought, "Felicity, are you okay?" he asked, his voice heavy with both sleep and exhaustion, as well as panic.

She hesitated for a moment, "I woke you up, didn't I?" He didn't know how he knew it, but he was willing to bet if he saw her now, she would be biting her lip that way she does when she was unsure of herself.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. Are you alright?"

She sighed, "Tired, but okay. I'm sorry about last night, I want to talk to you about it, and some other things if I can".

"Sure" he said a little too quickly as he pulled the blanket back to get up, "I can be there in twenty" he added, hoping he didn't sound despite to see her.

"No, not right now. I mean I would be okay with that. I'm not saying I wouldn't be or that I don't want to see you because I do, it's just that I'm not home right now and well I would rather we were alone. I mean not that kind of alone, but alone to talk…3…2…1" Oliver couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. He knew they would be okay. She was rambling, they would be ok.

He let out a laugh, "Felicity, whatever you want. It's fine".

She let out another sigh, "I'm on my way to see my mother. She should still be sleeping, so I plan to be that person that rudely wakes her, so very VERY rudely. Can I come over to your house around noon, with take out?"

"I'll pick up something. Just show up" he responded as he wiped the sleep out his eyes, grinned and then asked confused, "Why are you going to see your mother?"

"I'll explain when I meet you, I figured my mom came out here for a reason so I did some digging this morning when I got up". Oliver understood she really meant when she left her room because they both knew she didn't sleep last night. He frowned.

"Okay, do you want me to get Dig?" please say no, he thought.

She hesitated slightly, "No, not right now. I want to talk to you first". YES! He thought, and then silently wondered when he started acting like he was fourteen years old again. "I'll see you at noon" she added, then the line was dead.

He sat there for a moment, trying to get his bearings back. Then he smiled hopefully, before dressing and heading out of the foundry. This would be the first time Felicity was at his new place by herself, so he decided he was going to make lunch his personal mission, so when he asked her out on a real date and told her how he felt, she might believe it had nothing to do with her mother.

* * *

Felicity had been entering into the hotel her mother was staying at when she hung up on Oliver. She had already called and left messages to everyone else apologizing before she had called Oliver. Now that she felt better about that, all she had to do was confront her mother with what she found out this morning and find out why she came here with it.

She used the code she wrote on her tablet to unlock her mother's door; it wasn't the first time it was used. It came in handy on several smaller missions for the arrow. This time it was meant for silent access to her mother's suite in the one of the finer hotels in Starling City. A place like one she and Oliver stayed when they were on trips for QC; not the kind she remembered staying in when they took family vacations when she was a child.

She entered the hotel room as if she belonged there and called room service for a pot of coffee; by the time it got here she was sure they both would need it. She began to walk around and catalog all the electronics in the room. Quietly she opened her mother's bedroom to do the same. Her mother was still asleep as she predicted she would be. She stood at the foot of the bed as she modified another code in her tablet to include the electronics. Once she was done, she looked up at her mother and wondered if she was really being the better person by doing this. Then she thought about Oliver at dinner last night, her mother refusing to use her 'nest egg' to help her thru college, and all her mom's little digs about how she looked; and hit enter with considerable pleasure.

The room was rocked with noise. The TV's, radio, alarm clock, her mother's phone, and any other device working on frequencies blared as loud as possible. It was a good thing she had ear plugs in, she thought, as she watched her mother do something akin to cartoon jump as she leaped up and ran on air before falling on the floor. Felicity smiled widely, and turned everything off. Her mother was on all fours on the floor, panting rapidly from panic. She took her earplugs out as her mother slowly pulled herself to her feet and turned to face Felicity, wide eyed and stricken.

Felicity laid a smile fit for Isabel Rochev on her mother, said "Good! You're awake. I would like to talk to you in the living room when you're ready". She then spun on her heels, marched out of her mother's bedroom shut the door behind her, and sat in the couch like nothing happened. For a moment, she was giddy with her retaliation; but she sobered quickly. Mostly, she had done it because she wanted her mother off kilter when she started talking to her, but it gave her some small satisfaction for scaring her mother and recognized a bit of pettiness in her for it.

By the time her mother came out of her room the coffee had arrived and Felicity poured a cup, both for herself and her mother; thinking that Oliver might take personal offense that after what her mother did yesterday she brought her coffee and still wouldn't bring Oliver coffee. Donna looked more together now, she had slung a matching robe over her nightgown and Felicity guessed that there was probably a designer attached to the sexy set. Suddenly, Felicity was thrown back twenty years to when she first started tearing apart computers. It might have been about a year or so after her father had left and her mother's 'new fiancé' had just skipped town with the little nest egg she had just built up. Her mother was not smart about a lot of things, Felicity knew. But two things her mother was genuinely good at was money and men. Usually.

When Ralph, or was it Rob, maybe Rich, well she wasn't sure but when he skipped town with her mother's money. She had torn into the house on a rampage. Felicity didn't remember much about the guy other than he seemed fake. Even at the age of seven, Felicity couldn't keep her mouth shut so it had never occurred to her to not tell her mother that it was obvious the guy was out to rob them blind, and the guy was 'skeevy'. Her mother retorted, 'You don't know anything about men and you never will if you don't take your head out of those computers and start learning to be like other girls'.

Now, years later, she didn't know why she thought about that memory right now; but thought it was funny that her mother, who prided herself on being able to read and manipulate men, had been conned. Donna stuck to the men she met at the high roller games after that. Maybe, she thought about it because of what she had learned only this morning about her mother's newest husband, Mr. Donald Troy.

Her Mother sat down across from her, all poise and grace, taking the cup from Felicity without saying a word. There wasn't a lot that connected Felicity to her mother via style, habits, and opinions; but one thing was sure: nobody talked to a Smoak woman, until she had her coffee. So, Felicity let her mother have a few sips and then laid into her.

Her tone registering all the anger and resentment that she bottled up towards her mother for years and suddenly realized she never threw away. "What the hell is the matter with you? Who the hell do you think you are just showing up like that? You have no right to just show up on my front door and upheave my life after not even bothering to pick up the phone once in ten years. AND don't say you called me last week because we both know you called when I wouldn't answer, and didn't answer when I called. I lived with you, remember? I know how you like to play.

"You had no right to mess with Oliver like that last night. What were you getting at anyway? What were you possibly going to gain by needling Oliver like that. You don't know him, you don't know what he has been through. He isn't like one of your cli—" Felicity was cut off by her mother whose tone was venomous.

Her eyes rolled at Felicity, "Oh please, the whole world knows about Oliver Queen's rise from the dead only to fall from power after losing his families company. He is a joke. His whole family is, all rich people are. I met Robert Queen once at one of my games he's—"

"Shut up. You don't know anything about Oliver or his family. You have no right—"

"His daddy liked waitresses like me. He tried you know, but I told him—"

Felicity looked at her mother in disgust. Her mother could be lying, but she also knew Robert Queen's history too, she might not be lying. She could, however, be sure she didn't sleep with him. Her mother never slept with married men, she drew the line at that, at least. "I don't want to hear it. I am more aware than most about Robert Queens type". Shit! She thought, that came out really bad, and most like taken the wrong way. It was only that she couldn't, not think of Isabel Rochev and running over her with the van at that moment. She also couldn't help but wonder what she was about to say to Dig. Did told her she had a vendetta against her, she just didn't know why.

"Oh! And what would you know about Robert Queens preferences?" Her mother asked leaning forward and her tone taking on an accusatory tone.

Felicity gulped, she couldn't answer. Isabel's affair with Robert Queen wasn't public knowledge. Oliver could have used that knowledge to his advantage in getting the company back, but he said he didn't want Isabel's personal connection to his father public knowledge. Plus, allowing her mother to take control of this conversation would defeat one of her objectives here. To show her mother she cannot steamroll her. So, she calmed herself and decided to get to the point. "What I know is none of your concern and I don't care about your knowing Oliver's father. What I want to talk about is your husband and why you ran from him".

Her mother's face went white and the coffee cup started to shake in her hands, "How do you know about that already". The mere mention of Mr. Troy's name shattered Donna. Her eyes widened again and filled with slight panic.

Felicity hesitated for a second, surprised to see her mother fall apart so quickly, "You can find anything out on the internet when you know where to look, Mom. Why don't you tell me why you came here" she prompted with concern. Never in all the years had that she lived with her mother, had she seen her scared. Angry, cruel, vindictive even, but never scared. Her mother always seemed to be an unshakable force to her, so whatever this man did to her mother, had to be bad.

* * *

It was 11:30 and Oliver was fighting traffic back to his house on the outskirts of town. His house was nothing like the mansion, it didn't offer him the space the mansion did, but he had more privacy. It wasn't an overly large house, but it offered what he needed: a basement now set up as a possible backup shelter/relay station if necessary, the acreage easily defendable, beds enough for everyone to sleep in if necessary, and the house had no neighbors for miles. After he sold the mansion and bought this; there was a lot of downtime so Felicity and Dig helped him set everything up. Everything in the basement was hidden so if he were to suffer another cop raid, they would find nothing. The house and grounds were rigged with a security system more sophisticated than any company could offer and of Felicity's own making.

Dig recently bought a home for himself, Lyla, and the little Diglet as Felicity called it, so they were doing the same to his house now. Felicity would be next after that, and then Roy. He wanted her brownstone to be the next rigged, but she argued that Dig had a baby on the way, and the baby takes precedence over the single women with no dependents. Eventually, the plan was that all of their residences, the foundry, all back up stations, their offices, and all their possible relay stations would be hooked up to Felicity's security system to be monitored at all times. Her idea, and he had to admit, they should have done this sooner. Plus, he saw the look in her eyes as she put herself to the task of creating the un-hackable security system, and decided he would start having her put more input in the designs of things. They could really use her brain to help design new weapons.

He pulled into his drive that was about 200 yards long. His property was fenced and gated; something he saw as a necessity to simply ward out unwanted trespassers that had nothing to do with arrow business. He made it to his front door with about 10 minutes to spare to get lunch ready. He was starting to panic. He was running on two hours of sleep and while he had done it before, most nights lately he was lucky to get about 5 and he felt the exhaustion today. He hoped Felicity was doing okay given that she not only didn't sleep, but was likely hung-over, and emotional. When he left the foundry this morning he ran back here to clean, as he no longer had Raisa to do it for him and found that he was a bit of a slob on his own.

He thought about opening up a bottle of wine, but after last night, he figured better not. Then he left to go to the market and flower shop. It wasn't even a date, but to him it seemed so much more important than that. He needed to show her, well he wasn't sure what he needed to say or do, or what he was really about. He just knew he needed to be honest, have her be honest with him, and maybe they could figure it out from there.

He ran into the kitchen with his packages and kicked the door shut behind him. Originally, he thought he would pick up her favorite take out; but decided that wasn't good enough. He wanted to cook, but he really didn't know how to cook anything that didn't involve a microwave, or an open fire on the group and a spit, so he compromised. He picked up some things to throw together an easy salad with grilled chicken and picked up her favorite dessert from her favorite bakery. He figured he could grill a chicken breast, right? At least with his years on the island cooking food by open flame, taught when it would be done.

He was so caught up in what he was doing that he never heard the gate open, and was so caught up in trying to use the stove top grill that he never heard her car. He had just went to put the meat on the grill when the front opened and slammed against the wall. He turned so fast the chicken fell out of the tongs, hit the floor and skidded. He didn't even notice the chicken, he only noticed the tears running down her face. She must have been crying the entire way here. He sat the tongs down, and went to move toward her.

She put her hand up to stop him, and went to the cabinet where he kept some of the wine from the estate. She grabbed a bottle, paying no mind to what it was and slammed the cabinet shut behind her causing Oliver to wince. This was bad, this was really bad, was all he could think. He had no idea how to deal with this. He just watched as she dug through his drawers and pulled out the bottle opener, opened the bottle, grabbed a glass, poured herself a full glass, and took a very long sip.

He took in her disheveled appearance. She was wearing a casual light colored dress and her panda flats. Her hair was pulled back and she looked beautiful to him even though her hair was coming out, the makeup was smudged, her face was blotchy again, and she was standing on the chicken. He frowned, she was standing on their lunch.

"Felicity", he said quietly. She shook her head, obviously not ready to talk. He sighed, "Felicity, you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to, but your standing on chicken". Her eyes widened as she looked down at her feet. Her shoulders sagged in defeat and for the first time ever, Oliver actually heard her sob. It was a sound that tore at his heart. He didn't know what happened with her mother this morning, but all he wanted to do was hold her and put at an arrow in her mother. With a sigh, he settled for picking the tongs back up and approaching Felicity so he could pick the chicken up off the floor and toss it in the sink for now. "Take your shoes off here and let's go sit in the living room" She nodded.

Once he got her to the sofa, he sat and just waited for her to speak. He wasn't sure it would be anytime soon, but he decided he had all the patience in the world for her.

Finally, after a few more sips of wine, Felicity whispered between sobs, "Do you know why my mother is here?"

He shook his head, but whatever he thought Felicity's mothers motive's might have been. What Felicity told him, was far from it and it made his blood run cold.

She let out another sob, as she looked Oliver dead in the eyes with cold fury, "She wants to use me to blackmail the Arrow into killing her husband".

* * *

BIG thanks to Hipkarrma, you ROCK my friend!

Oh! and of course I don't own and rights to ARROW or DCcomics ;) !


	3. Breakdown

Oliver bolted upright from the couch and moved away from her. He stood looking out the window for a minute. Never in all of the time since Dig and Felicity started working with him did it occur to him that their own families would willingly invite the chaos in their lives. Felicity's own mother flew thousands of miles to seek out that chaos, and intended to use Felicity as that means and the Arrow as her own weapon. But how had her mother figured she would do that? He was honest enough with himself that, even after everything with Slade, he wouldn't hesitate to kill for Felicity. But how would her mother, who lived several states away, know her connection to the Arrow? Did she know Oliver was the Arrow? Or, was it all speculation?

He turned back to look at her, his voice tight when it came out "Tell me everything". He tried to remain calm, tried to stay focused, because he knew there wasn't a single detail that he could afford not to hear. As another sob racked her system, he almost gave in to his need to just pull her into his arms and comfort her. Logically though, he knew she first needed to say this, and that he needed to hear it.

She sniffled, and wiped her tears away as more just fell in their place. "This morning, after….after you left I decided I needed to pull myself together and figure out why my mom was here so I could get rid of her. I did some digging and found out husband #5 is Mr. Donald Troy. He owns a Casino, and I guess my mom met him when she was picked to cocktail wait at a private poker game for high rollers. That's was she does. She is a cocktail waitress for mostly high roller games. She figured out early on that if she played her own cards right, she could walk away with a few chips of her own. That's also where she limited her hunting grounds and she is good at playing men.

"She met number #5 at his own table and played him so well they were married within the month. My mother said, she thought she had finally hit the jackpot, and she quit working at the casino. No one thought anything of it because, well it's Vegas and people get married and divorced there like it's a favorite pastime. Anyway, she said everything was great in the beginning but of course she would think it was. She had free access to all the casino amenities, and his black card".

She paused, and Oliver knew this story wasn't going to end well. He vaguely remembered Mr. Troy on his 21st birthday when his dad took him to Vegas with Tommy to celebrate. He thinks he recalls a tall, burly, balding man about his father's age. He sat at one of his private games, and remembered Mr. Troy being none too happy when he lost to another player. From what details his father told him; he was sure that Mr. Troy should have been on the list.

Oliver pursed his lips, and clenched his fists. Somehow, he just knew where this was going and even though he had no love for the current Mrs. Troy; no woman should ever be bullied or abused by a man. He moved to sit back on the couch, angling toward Felicity as she continued.

"She told me that she wasn't foolish, but I beg to differ. I mean, how she could think that she could stay separate from what kind of man he was? How could she honestly look me in the face and say she never expected to be involved in that aspect of his life? How stupid. She was stupid, so stupid to be anywhere near a man like that. He's a killer, has ties to the mob, and she walked in on him-"

Oliver's eyes slammed shut as pain and devastation sliced thru his heart at her words. She never thought those things about him, but to hear her say it like that; just the thought that she could think of him like that, levelled him.

"OH GOD!" she yelled. Her voice came out high pitched and panicked. Oliver barely registered the couch shifting before she was on him; half in his lap and draped across him with her hands on his face. A part of him relished at the sudden, close contact. Her touch never bothered him like others had. She continued speaking to him in a panic, "Oliver! I didn't mean it like that. That's not you, I didn't mean you. You're not like him. I'm so sorr-"

He cut her off as he reached up like he was going to pull her hands from his face but held them there instead, He opened his eyes slowly taking in her scattered appearance once more. There was a new layer of emotion to her now, stronger than the others; stronger than her anger and hurt toward her mother, was the fear that her words had hurt him. "It's okay, Felicity", he told her quietly; and he meant it; both for her and himself, because he was reminding himself that Felicity still believed in him.

Words were lost between them for a moment as Oliver found himself unwilling to let her go. There was something about being with her like this, the intimacy of it, that he felt...well not at peace, but for the first time in years he believed that eventual peace was possible for him. That one day he could be a whole person again; and he knew, just knew, it would never have been possible without Felicity. Silent tears, surprisingly leaked out of his eyes. His Felicity, always believing in him, showing him there is another way, and never giving up on him.

He just wanted to bask in everything that was her, and did so without even realizing he was doing it. He had maneuvered her to straddling his legs and he was pulling her into his arms with her arms bringing him into her own. They stayed like that for some while, and the longer they stayed like that the more Oliver felt the exhaustion he held at bay for seven years, start to flood his system. "I feel, "He started with a quiet sob, "I feel so tired".

Felicity sighed, and pulled back a little. She met his tired gaze with his own and her hands gently wiped his tears away. He wasn't sure what brought this on, and he knew she couldn't know it ether. "Then let's go to bed", she whispered. She pulled herself from him, but laced her fingers with his and never broke eye contract. "Let's go to bed. We can talk later". He found himself nodding, and let her guide him. His Felicity, setting her own troubles and hurts aside for him. Always putting him first.

Silently they climbed the stairs to his room. Not another word was spoken for hours.

* * *

When Felicity woke a few hours later; the first thing she noticed was that they were just like they fell asleep: facing each other and holding hands. The second thing she noticed was that Oliver was sleeping, peacefully. A smile broke on her lips as she watched him sleep. She never remembered him looking so at peace. He looked young, like a normal man; instead of a man who bore years of torture and the weight of the world. She didn't know what brought on his earlier behavior, but she found she couldn't be sad that it had happened. Whatever it was that brought it on; she felt it was a good thing.

She was only awake for a few minutes when his eyes fluttered open. He didn't say anything as he laid there, but she felt the gentle pressure of him squeezing her hand in reassurance. It was like this, that Felicity felt like she could finally tell Oliver everything and remain calm. Oliver was there for her, and together they would figure what to do about her mom and Troy.

"She walked in on him beating a Federal agent to death about a month ago. She said, she heard rumors of him being in league with the mob but didn't care as long as her hands were clean. But, her hands weren't clean the moment she walked in on him killing a Fed. She panicked ran out of the room. He sent his bodyguard to bring her back, and he brought her back, kicking and screaming. Troy hit her to shut her up, and the two things my mom won't put up with are cheaters and beaters.

"He said she had two choices: shut up and live the life of luxury, or speak up and die. But if she did anything else, told anyone anything; he would kill her and whoever she talked to. So she shut up and stayed until she was approached by another agent. He said he knew what had happened, and knew that she was a witness. She said she didn't know what he was talking about and walked away. But Troy knew and grabbed her when she came home. He told her she had 10 seconds to tell her what the fed wanted before he beat it out of her. She told him, but it only made him angrier because he knew that meant he had a mole.

"She'd decided though, after the fed tracked her down, that she was going to cut ties and go. She had enough of a nest egg to fall back on that he didn't know about, and would have to use it to run. That's why she called me the first time. She called last week hoping I could hack her accounts and transfer funds so he couldn't find her. But after she didn't reach me the first time, he came in and started yelling at her, asking who she tried to call. She told him she decided to leave him, and he told her that he owned her and would kill her before he let her leave. Then he told her, that if she thought she could hide from him, he would come for me himself.

"So, she stayed and it was during some show that she saw a rerun of a story about the mysterious Starling City vigilante. She remembered then, that her daughter was saved by said vigilante twice". She stopped for a moment. Tears started to well up in her eyes again. As she continued, her voice was weaker "She said they heard about the Count Vertigo thing and then the video of a limping Arrow carrying me down the bridge was even on their news in Vegas. She knew, and she never called to see if I was okay". The tears spilled over and Oliver's free hand reached up to wipe them away. His hand didn't move away.

"She told me, she figured that I must be important to him, because even injured, he carried me. I tried to tell her she was wrong, but she said she wasn't. The Arrow saved me twice, killed to save me once, and that made her wonder if he would kill to save me again. So, she left him and came here. I told her she was insane and asked her how she could put me in danger like that? She said I was making a big deal out of nothing. That she read about the Arrow before, he went after corrupt one percenters so no one would be the wiser. So she left, calling his bluff. She doesn't see anything wrong with the fact that she is basically setting up her daughter to be killed by a madman, in hopes that the Arrow is in love with me".

The tears flowed heavily now and she openly gave into her tears as Oliver scooted closer and pulled her into his arms. He rocked back on the bed, bringing her with him, and let her cry on him as he silently made circles in her back.

* * *

The shadows on the wall told Oliver that it was getting to be early evening and that they likely had been in his bed for hours. Felicity had stopped crying about an hour ago, but they still hadn't moved. He liked her there, half on him with his one arm holding her to him while the other wandered from place to place: tracing her fingers, running through

her hair, down her back, and back up again.

He could have stayed that way forever, but the reluctant sigh that left Felicity's lips reminded him that it wasn't an option. He could feel her breath on his chest as she whispered, and it did things to his that made it even harder to concentrate. "What are we going to do?"

The he let out a sigh, he didn't know what the right answer was, but there was one thing he knew for sure "Felicity, I'm not going to lie. If that man comes anywhere near you with the intent to harm; I won't hesitate to kill him, and I won't regret it either".

She jerked up, but not away from him. She was leaning over him now, and her loose hair pooled around his face, essentially blocking everything but her from his vision. He found no reason to complain, but for the confused look on her face. "What?" she squeaked. "Oliver?"

He brought his hands up to cup her face, "What I said to you the night Count Vertigo took you is still true. If he has you, and he is going to hurt you; there is no choice to make. You're mother wasn't wrong, Felicity. I…I'm not…I don't" He slammed his eyes and mouth shut. He could feel his heart starting to pick up, both from what he wanted to say to her and because of his not so sudden desire to kiss her. He willed himself to slow his heart down, and to form sentences. He was good at making fake speeches to the press or to other people that didn't matter, but Felicity mattered and he was never good at making speeches with her. He found, with her, the truth always just seemed to stumble out unintentionally. She had that way with him, and it was why he could never lie successfully to her.

"Oliver, I don't—"

He opened his eyes to meet her gaze as his words just tumbled out, cutting her off "I'm not sure how your mother figured it out from a hand full of news articles, but she isn't wrong, Felicity. I love you, and I'm afraid to lose you. More afraid than I have ever been, and I know I should push you away. Keep you away from me so your safe and your own mother can't put you in danger because I love you. But I don't think I can become a better man without you; there's no hope for me without you. So, I can't push you away; you're the one selfish thing I have in my life" His voice broke at the end as he stared up into her shocked eyes. There were no cameras in his room. This was no trick, no trap. Just truth, and the two of them.

She didn't say anything at first. Just looked down on him in surprise, and then he heard her say "Wow!' so quietly he barely heard her. He had just a moment to gasp in surprise before he felt his hands slip past her cheeks and her lips crashed against his.

He didn't hesitate to enjoy the gift he was getting even as shock reverberated through his system. One of his hands buried in her hair and the other snaked around her waist. He wanted her closer, to kiss her harder, softer, faster, slower, all of it, over, and over again. There weren't romantic explosions or some other bullshit nonsense he'd heard Thea talk about in books. He just felt lost in her, with no desire to be found. He felt like he could live happily just holding her and kissing her; it didn't matter if they never had sex. Not that he didn't want to, god did he want to feel her bare skin against his, but he didn't care if it took a month, two, three, a year, or if it never happened.

He was just be happy to be with her; to talk to her, be able to touch her, to know she believed in him still, that he would kill for her, had killed for her, and she was the only woman he ever really connected to emotionally. Laurel never really counted; he'd always held back, even before the island. Felicity just accepted him as is with no judgment and no expectations.

He pulled back with a gasp as something else occurred to him. The truth was unavoidable once the realization struck him though and he couldn't deny it. The truth was, he had been in a relationship with Felicity, in all the ways that really mattered, since he showed up in her car bleeding to death. He had been emotionally tethered to her for months; being able to kiss her now was just a bonus.

He drank in her slightly wild appearance, she was panting as she looked down at him with want. This was the wrong time for it, he knew it and he knew she knew it. They had things to deal with; probably should call the whole group tonight; but right now he wanted just a little more, so he took it. He grabbed her leg and positioned it so he could roll them over. He pressed enough of his weight down on her to make a groan escape her lips and then he kissed her again. His hands ran everywhere they could reach, and her hands were snaking up his back. He felt fourteen all over again, only this was better than any hot teenage make out session he had ever had and he never remembered being this excited about where it could possibly lead. He couldn't resist himself; he let his hips, which were nestled between her legs and under the skirt of her dress that had ridden up, press into her. She pulled her mouth away gasping as she responded by wrapping her legs around his hips to bring him closer. Oliver started dropping kisses on her neck, her collar bone, her shoulder; slowing down until he stopped.

He looked at her, her eyes all dark and full of want for something they couldn't do right now or shouldn't do. He needed to do his right, wanted to do this right; even if he had already done most of it backwards.

He rolled back onto his back and brought her with him. They laid like that, until they could calm down.

* * *

Felicity could still feel her heart racing from the impromptu make out session with Oliver after his confession. His confession. _I love you_._ I don't think I can become a better man without you; there's no hope for me without you._ _I love you. I love you. I love you. _The shock of it resounded throughout her system while he held her closely to him as if he were afraid to let her go. She could feel his heart pounding against her cheek as she rested her head on his chest.

She needed to say something, tell him how she felt, tell him she loved him, tell him he was good man with or without her. But her brain to mouth connection seemed shorted out and incapable to forming sentences. She could only lay here and be lulled into a trance by Oliver's heart beat and the feeling of his fingers tracing circles on a patch of bare skin on her shoulder.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew they had a huge problem to deal with, her mother, but she didn't want to move. She wanted to fall asleep like this, wake up like this, and repeat it day after day. It was like a dream that she never really allowed herself to full visualize had come true. A part of her was afraid that if she moved, she would wake and find that it was just dream and now having tasted it; reality would suck.

"We should call Diggle and Roy", he said quietly.

She sighed, turning her head to look at him, "I know" she responded, conveying all her disappointment at having to deal with what her mother dropped into their laps.

"I can call them and have them come out here if you would like" he suggested while brushing hair from her face.

She thought about it for a moment and then nodded, "I'm just going to use the bathroom and then I'll be down".

He nodded, and reluctantly they pulled themselves from each other and parted ways for the moment. When she entered the bathroom and took in her appearance, she frowned. Nothing short of a full shower could totally fix how horrible she looked right now. She started with meticulously cleaning off her makeup and wetting her hair down and throwing it into a haphazard messy bun, no one would judge her for not wearing makeup today or doing her hair. At least not these guys since she has seen them all bloody and broken at some point.

Her shoes were long discarded after the chicken incident and she was fine going barefoot for now. Her dress was wrinkled from lying in bed and having a hot make out session with Oliver, but there was nothing to do about that now and she couldn't really say she regretted either. She shrugged, knowing she wasn't going to look any better and joined Oliver downstairs, where she found him microwaving old Chinese food.

He turned around and set a plate on the table, "I thought you might be hungry. We never got to lunch" he said awkwardly, eyeing her tentatively. "There is also that cake you like from that that bakery". He was nervous, she realized. Everything had been fine upstairs, but the realization of it all must have hit him as he came down. There was something endearing about this man who was the Arrow and put the fear of god in men; could be afraid and awkward with her, because of her.

Felicity smiled as she approached him, his eyes never leaving hers. "Oliver?" He didn't get to respond because she threw her arms around his neck and stretched up to kiss him. He responded to her immediately as his arms tightened around her and pulled her closer. She felt him loosen some.

She pulled back for a moment and looked him in the eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't say it upstairs, I should have, but I was still lost in everything you said that I couldn't think or form words. Not that it's a good excuse, it's not. It's just your words were so beautiful, and I want you to know that I don't think you need me to be a good man" His arms tightened around her, and his eyes grew dark with nervousness. Felicity realized her mistake and corrected it, albeit somewhat flustered, "Sorry, that's not I meant. I meant, what I'm trying to say is that, I love you too". Once the words were out, Oliver's tension melted away, and he just pulled her back to his mouth and kissed her hard.

The doorbell went off, and Felicity jumped away with a yelp as Oliver grinned at her. _He's grinning at me_, she thought, _I've never seen him grin. Now if only we could figure out how to get out of killing my mother's husband without getting killed myself._

* * *

BIG THANKS TO HIPKARRMA!  
OH and I've changed this from being 4 chaps, to five, and now six...because some where in the back on my mind I actually thought I could cram 2-4 into one chap but I got a little OLICITY happy...Im sure no one will hate me for it! ;)

and then of course...as much as I would love to own SA for a day...I dont or any ARROW or DCCOMICS rights...


	4. Protect Each Other

Oliver looked around his living room and his eyes fell on Dig whose eyes were on his and Felicity's joined hands. Dig's eyes met Oliver's for a moment, and his lips pulled into a knowing grin that didn't completely hide the 'we will talk about this later' look he had. Lyla was home sleeping, and Roy was sitting next to Dig. They were all surprisingly silent as Felicity told them about her mother's plan. By the time she was done, Dig looked like he was already trying to figure out the best way out of this, whereas Roy looked like he had just sucked a lemon.

"Damn, Blondie. You're the first person I ever met that made me feel lucky my parents were dead", he said. Oliver shot him a look, and Roy responded with, "What? Her own mother is trying to get her killed by a psychopath".

Dig leveled Roy with a look, and then turned back to the group, "Well, I think the first thing we need to establish is that you can't go anywhere alone".

Before Felicity could object, Oliver turned to her and stated "Agreed, you should stay here with me". He knew she would object, and tried not to take it personal. She turned and looked him in the eyes. She opened her mouth, a confused look on her face and she gazed up at him. He continued, squeezing her hand, "Felicity, your mother baited a psychopath who has threatened your life. The best case scenario, is to find a way out of this without involving the Arrow and really this house is the only house out of all of ours that is fortified to withstand a break in, not to mention he will look for you at your house. You are safest here, and I'm not letting you out of my sight anyway".

Oliver searched her eyes while trying to convey something in his own. He needed her here, with him and safe. She frowned, but nodded and he relaxed. They didn't look away from each other until Roy's voice was heard, "Yeah okay, you two are in love. This isn't new, well maybe to you too, but not to us. So, can we move on to figuring out how we take down Felicity's psycho step-father without going all Arrow and Arsenal on the guy?"

All eyes turned to Roy, glaringly. He rolled his eyes and was about to reply when Felicity spoke up, "We should call Lance, he could help".

Oliver was surprised, not because he didn't think Lance would help, but that Felicity would invite another person into an aspect of her personal life that she tried so hard to keep hidden. He wanted to object too, he wanted to be the one to take care of her, to protect her; as the Arrow and as Oliver Queen. She must have known he was the one going to object this time, because she cut him off before he could.

Squeezing his hand, she pleaded with him, "Oliver, I don't want to invite people into our personal lives any more than you do, but logically you know it's the best answer we got. I can call him and we can ask him to come out here, or if you would rather, we can meet him somewhere else. We will be as honest as we can, and see if we can leave it to the cops" she stated. When he was about to object saying he wasn't leaving her life in the hands in the cops; she rushed on. "And we stay here, so if they fail we can 'Arrow up' as a last resort. But the only way we are going to prove my mother wrong, even if she isn't, and take this guy down is if we do this one by the books. We both know, that if the Arrow saves me a third time in less than a year, more than my mother will start asking questions we don't want answered. Right now, only Lance knows I help the Arrow, so we should keep it that way".

He saw sense in what she said, but it didn't mean he liked it. He stood up and walked away from the couch. He felt his fingers itching for a bow and an arrow to nock. He wanted to put an arrow in this guy and be done with it, before it got to the point where they had to worry about him finding her at all. He paced the living room floor, well aware that all eyes were on him as he went.

If he let the Arrow do this, then that puts Felicity on the radar for anyone who might oppose him. He could be putting a bigger target on her back by doing this his way. He stopped and turned to face her. He would a agree but he had a few demands to make, "Fine, but you're not leaving this house until that man is caught and when this is over I am going to have a nice long chat with your mother".

She frowned, and then nodded, "I'll call Lance".

He shook his head, "No, I will do it. You should go to your computer and check on Troy. The more information we have on his whereabouts when Lance gets here the better". He said, rubbing the palms of his hands in his eyes in frustration. She nodded, and stood to leave without another word. He grabbed her hand as she walked past him. He tried to convey wordlessly all his frustration, his need for her, and his love in one look while he squeezed her hand. "I will be down in a minute". She nodded, and left to go to the basement.

Dig stood up the moment she left and approached Oliver, "Oliver, I know this is going to be hard for you, but you're going to have to let the police do all the work on this one". Oliver didn't need to be told this, he knew. However, it didn't stop him from glaring at Dig as he laced his fingers behind his head and began pacing again. "I know you Oliver, you've got something going on in that head of yours, but if you're thinking of going after this guy, you need to rethink it. You can't—"

Oliver turned back to Dig, "I'm not planning anything", he stated, roughly. His voice grew angrier as he spoke to Dig. "I don't like this, but she's right. If the Arrow saved her a third time in under a year people will start to wonder why the Arrow always seems to be around when she is in danger, or at least how he always seems to know when she is. If I save her this time, I'm painting the bullseye on her back; or rather, making it bigger than it already is now". He yelled in frustration as Dig and Roy watched him vent, "I should have never showed up in her office. I should have left her alone; but I can't leave her alone now. Not now". His voice faded at the end of his rant as he turned back to Dig and Roy.

Roy was watching him with a strange, confused look on his face and Oliver wondered if Roy had ever seen him on edge like this. He had always tried to remain calm and in control in front of Roy to set an example, but he knew he was failing now. His attention was brought back to Dig when his hand came down on his shoulder, "You can't play the 'what if' game, Oliver. What if her mother still ran and came out here, and Felicity didn't know you? Who could she have run to then? Would she have felt comfortable enough with Lance to ask his help? Or know that he would give it? What if Troy eventually went after her anyway in an attempt to control Felicity's mom? What if Felicity died because she dug into the list instead of coming to you? What if, Oliver? You can play that game, or you can live with the life you have and make the decisions that you can live with".

Oliver let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Dig was right, of course he was. He nodded and Dig smiled that knowing grin he got when he caught Oliver looking at Felicity when she wasn't paying attention, "Now call Lance, and then go downstairs. Felicity probably thinks you're up here planning a way to kill the guy instead of having a meltdown. Oh, and we will talk about how I saw you two making out like teenagers in the kitchen before I rang the doorbell".

Oliver couldn't help but grin a little at Dig wanting to get all fatherly about Felicity. He laughed, maybe it was practice for the little Diglet.

* * *

Normally Felicity would have argued with Oliver about being sent out of the room like that, because in no way did she really think it would take that long for her to check the airlines to see if Troy had left Vegas yet. But she walked out without a fight, because Oliver looked as if he needed to talk to Dig, and she felt like he wouldn't have done that with her in the room. If he needed to vent to Dig, she would give him that. So, she went into the basement, and at the base of the stairs where a bunch of shelves hung on the wall was a false wall. Felicity had to delete the original blue prints from the town hall, and replace them with new ones, but the end result shows that this houses basement was only half the size it was. Now, this was nothing in size to the foundry, but it wasn't meant to be a base of operations, only back up.

She pushed on the wall, which was on her surveillance system so she could lock it, and no one would ever know it was anything but a normal wall. She ducked under the shelves full of random boxes, and entered in the mini Arrow den. It didn't require the space that the foundry did because it didn't need a bed, couch, or workout space. It contained medical supplies, extra weapons, a steel table, spare suits for Arrow and Arsenal, and Felicity's secondary work station. She sighed as she heard Oliver pacing the floor above her head and sat down.

By the time she heard Oliver come through the fake wall, she already knew what they needed to know and was sitting in the silence watching surveillance feed of the Starling City airport. She didn't turn to acknowledge him as he approached, just continued to watch the feed. She felt his hands resting on the chair, and he started watching the feed over her shoulder. Finally she said, "Did Dig talk you out of killing Troy?"

He sighed, "I wasn't planning on killing him. I just needed Dig to talk me out of believing that you were better off without ever having met me. This is airport footage from two hours ago." He stated.

"Yes," she said matter of factly. "Turns out, shortly after my meltdown this morning, my dear step daddy called for his private jet to ready. Also turns out, he has a hacker on his payroll. He's good, but I'm better and he was sloppy. I saw his footprints all over the place when he hacked the airport manifests to find out where my mother flew to. Troy's flight landed two hours ago, but he hasn't made any phone calls and a private car wasn't waiting for him on the tarmac to pick him up, now I am scouring the airport to find where he disappeared to. So far he hasn't shown up at my mom's hotel, or my place as far as I can tell. What did Dig say to you?" she asked quietly, finally spinning the chair around to look at him. His hands dropped and landed by her sides

She saw that he was hesitant at first, but quietly he said "He said there is no use playing the 'what if' game." And then he grinned slightly as he pulled her up from the chair and wrapped his arms around her, "Then told me he was going to have to give me a talking to about making out with you like we were teenagers". He winked at her at the end and Felicity felt a flutter in her stomach that reminded her of making out with him in his bed. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks and his lips scraped against her cheek as he moved toward her ear. The flush spread down her neck and suddenly Felicity wished everyone would just go away so they could go back to his bed and finish what they had started. His voice in her ear this time was different than any of the times she heard him through the comms as he whispered, "Will you sleep with me tonight? Not to do anything, I just…after earlier I'm not sure I could sleep without you. Stay with me tonight?"

With the way his voice, and lips just made her feel, she would have said yes if he had meant to do something. She let out a whimper, and she could feel his lips smile on her skin. She felt alive and tingled in places she hadn't felt tingles in a long time. It felt wrong to want this right now, with Dig and Roy upstairs, and a psycho wanting to kill her because of her mother; but as she felt his arms tighten around her she didn't care.

She turned her head to him and his lips met hers again. There was no hesitancy with this kiss, they were already so comfortable with the knowledge that they could kiss each other, and yet the passion was still new, still raw. She ran her hands under his shirt and she felt his muscles clench under her fingers. So she slid them up and around to his back as Oliver groaned into her mouth. It was amazing, knowing she could do this to him. That he wanted her like this.

His hands roughly grabbed at the back of her thighs to bring her closer to him and she could feel how badly he wanted her. They both moaned at the contact. Maybe it was too fast, maybe they should slow down; but then again, hadn't this been a long time coming? Hadn't this been coming for months? It was like once they let go, they couldn't stop.

A loud beeping sound shook them out of their bubble and they jerked apart. Oliver didn't move, but she backed away as she tried to get her heart rate to settle. She was breathing heavily as she tried to make sense of the alarm coming from the computer, but not finding it in her current state to look away from Oliver. She just stood there, staring in his chest watching the rapid rise and fall of his breathing. He had shut his eyes and was gripping the table behind him like a vice grip.

Finally, the fog on her brain lifted slightly, "Lance must be here" she panted out.

Oliver didn't open his eyes, he just whispered "Go, I'll be up in a minute". She nodded, even though he couldn't see her and left. Hoping to get herself under control before she made it up the stairs. Unfortunately, she didn't bother to look at a mirror first.

She didn't even make it into the livingroom before Roy yelled, "Aw man! Okay there needs to be some ground rules if you two are going to go at all the time. We" he gestured to Dig whose eyes were wide with surprise, "don't want to walk in on you two going at it like rabbits".

Dig quietly added, "You might want to go fix yourself." And she felt like her mortification for the day was complete as she walked to the bathroom with her hand over her face and without saying a word.

When she walked back into the living room Quentin Lance was sitting on one of the couches while Dig and Roy sat with their arms draped across the back of the other. Oliver was coming from the kitchen just as she entered. She took a quick look at him, and saw that his public face was on for Quentin and that there would be no reading into it.

Quentin looked at Oliver as he sat in a chair, allowing Felicity to sit next to Lance, "Alright Queen. What's the deal that you dragged me out here at night?" his tone was irritated. Felicity knew there used to be some animosity between Lance and Oliver; but she had long believed that Quentin had gotten over most of it and now actually respected Oliver some. He just didn't like people to know he didn't really hate Oliver anymore.

Felicity saw Oliver glance in her direction quickly, "Actually, it's about Felicity. We have reason to believe her life might be in danger." he stated, trying to sound neutral.

Quentin sat up straight and now became more alert, he looked right at her this time, "Does this have anything to do with…" his voice led off as he looked around the room almost if forgot they weren't alone, but Felicity understood perfectly what he was going to say.

"It's okay Capt. Lance as the head of Oliver's security Felicity saw fit to make us aware of her involvement with the Arrow from time to time". Diggle answered Quentin's question for her as he leaned forward on the couch.

Felicity watched Oliver frown out of the corner of her eye as she spoke, "This has nothing to do with the arrow, Capt Lance".

Quentin leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, "Then, why come to me? Why, not just go to the normal cops? And why is Mr. Harper here and not down at the precinct for his latest attempt at being the Arrow's mini-me?"

Diggle again answered, cutting Roy off from whatever snide mark he was going to make, "Roy works under me now. Oliver thought it would good for him to legitimize himself". Felicity didn't miss the slight humor Dig had in his voice when he said legitimize. Then Dig turned to her, and nodded to her to talk.

"Capt. Lance, I came to you because I trust you, and well this is a bit personaly for me", she stated. Felicity bit her lip and looked at the guys who nodded in encouragement as she launched into the story of her mother showing up at her door with her ex husband en route. She left the Arrow completely out of it, telling Lance that her mother just ran here for safety but knew that Mr. Troy would likely follow, and in fact was already in Starling somewhere.

Quentin looked at the guys dubiously before looking back at her again, "Well, that's some mother you got there. She came here knowing that he threatened to kill you if she did? Does the Arrow know? Can't he do anything? Surely, he wants to protect his asset on the ground?" Felicity saw Quentin's eyes quickly look at Oliver and back to her so fast she almost missed it. But she thought the message was clear enough, he suspected Oliver was the Arrow and wanted to know why he didn't just take him out.

She bit her lip again as Oliver jumped up and started pacing again in agitation. She followed him with her eyes before letting out a sigh and returning her attention to Lance, "Captain, the Arrow knows and I told him he needs to stay out of this. He has saved me twice in less than a year. If he saves me again, people will start to question why he seems to know I am in danger and for me to remain an effective asset on the ground; people can't suspect I am helping him".

His eyes drifted to Oliver's pacing as he spoke, "So, it's like that huh? He is protecting his asset by not protecting her. Doesn't he realized that a dead asset is far more useless than one that's—"

Felicity saw the tension building in Oliver, Lance was needling him on purpose so she cut him off, "Please Captain. He wasn't happy to sit this one out. I had to beg him to. He was all ready to just camp out at the airport and shoot an arrow into Troy the moment he landed, but I made him see that was foolish. Please, don't undo that?" she pleaded at the end, it came out barely above a whisper and she wasn't sure if anyone other than Lance heard her. Lance's eyes traveled to Oliver again. She couldn't see Oliver from where she was, but whatever Lance saw seemed to convince him it was the right thing that she came to him.

His eyes drifted to the guys who were now tense and watching Oliver, and then drifted back to Felicity. He nodded once, "I'll head to the precinct and look into what you told me. I assume you're staying here?"

"Yes!" Oliver half stated, half shouted from behind her.

Lance nodded again, "Stay awake a little longer if you can. I will try to call you in an hour or two". He stood up. Felicity stood and made to walk him out as Dig and Roy stayed with Oliver.

At the door he turned to her and asked quietly, "I suppose I have you to blame for the no kill policy?" Felicity didn't respond, just found her lips twitching slightly into a smile at Lance's disgruntled voice. "You know I used to think that way too. But now, sometimes I think some people just need killing, and the world is a better place for it. Like that man that took Laurel". He shook his head and frowned.

She frowned too as she spoke, "But how many lives do you think he can take before his soul is broken, Captain? It's his job to protect the city. It's mine to protect him from himself. Goodnight Captain we will hear from you in a few hours". Felicity was surprised at how true the words felt that she had spoken. Quentin gave a cursory glance over her shoulder and into the living room again; she assumed he paused on Oliver. His gaze stayed a beat longer on him, and then he nodded and turned to leave. Felicity shut the door behind her.

* * *

"But how many lives do you think he can take before his soul is broken, Captain? It's his job to protect the city. It's mine to protect him from himself." She hadn't realized he had followed her to the door when she went to walk Lance out of his house. He saw Lance look at him over her shoulder after she said those words, and an understanding passed between the two of them at that moment. Oliver knew Lance knew he was the Arrow. He made no effort to hide that he figured it out, but as long as he didn't actually ask or confirm it; he could maintain plausible deniability. Oliver also communicated that there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect Felicity and that the Arrow wasn't really sitting this one out. He would be right by her; protecting the girl who just proclaimed to be protecting him. God, he loved her.

She turned around and gasped at finding him there. Then blushed because she knew he had heard her. He searched her face as the blush crept into her cheeks and she looked down embarrassed. He reached out, not caring that Dig and Roy could probably see them, and gently lifted her chin so she would look at him. When his eyes met hers, he silently conveyed how he felt. He wanted her to know that he was thankful for her standing up for him, for being there for him, and for never giving up on him when everyone else had bailed. He wanted to say he loved her, that he knew how much they still needed to talk, and how much he was still thinking about kissing her. He wanted her to know just how truly amazing he thought she was.

"Well," he heard Roy groan as he got up from the couch. "Looks like we're going to be here awhile protecting our mama bear. You got anything to eat in that kitchen?" Oliver didn't move as Roy and Dig brushed past him, he pulled Felicity into a hug instead. He felt that was all he could do right now, kissing her again would have to wait until they were alone. They stayed that way until Oliver heard Roy ask, "Why is there a chicken breast in the sink?"

He sighed, stepped back and gave Felicity a knowing look who smirked at him and grabbed his hand to pull him with her. "Oliver threw it at me earlier" she stated laughingly as they entered the kitchen. He stood in the doorway while Felicity went to grab plates and silverware from the kitchen. He couldn't help but smile at seeing her so comfortable in his kitchen, his house really.

Roy stopped on the way to the fridge and crooked an eyebrow at Oliver, "Dude, I may have been raised in the Glades but even I know you throw flowers and diamonds at the woman you love, not food".

Oliver rolled his eyes, "Good to know" he responded as Roy opened up the fridge. Roy pulled out the cake he bought for Felicity and added, "Don't eat that. It's Felicity's".

Both eyebrows came up this time, "You just got called out on your feelings for her yesterday and you're already so whipped you keep her favorite dessert on hand?"

Before he could respond, Felicity set the plates down and slapped Roy in the back of the head. Roy's eyes widened in surprise and Felicity grabbed her cake. "Don't be a jerk and now you can't have any of my cake. Where is Diggle and does he want something to eat?" she asked as she set the plates down and Oliver noticed for the first time, that Dig actually wasn't in the kitchen. Puzzled, he looked at Roy who was cramming more leftover chinese food in his mouth right out of the carton. Oliver shook his head, he didn't care personally, but eventually if Roy wanted to go undercover into places of high society; he was going to have to learn how to act the part. But that was an issue for another day.

"Perimeter check" Roy responded thru mouthfuls of food. Felicity walked over to him and grabbed the carton from him. Dumped the contents onto a plate, and handed it back to him.

"Use a plate, and you might want to heat that up it's like 4 days old. Unless, you want food poisoning". Roy looked down on his plate for a moment in disgust, then shrugged and dug back in. Oliver started to laugh when Felicity looked back at Roy like she was going to puke. "You're such a pig".

The front door opened, and Oliver's eyes turned to look at Dig as he heard Felicity call out, "Dig are you hungry? Roy sit down before I make you clean your scraps up off the floor".

Dig's eyes gravitated to the kitchen in humor and smile appeared, "I'm good" and he turned back to Oliver adding "Your girl has us all wrapped around her finger you know. We would all die for her: Roy, you, me, even Quentin, and Sara if she were here. Hell, I think even Nyssa would after the whole five minutes they met. You don't have anything to worry about, Oliver".

Oliver smiled as he looked at Felicity and something in his chest throbbed hard, "I started this out alone Diggle." He said so only Dig could hear him. "I thought it would stay that way, but when I met you and you were right about having a battle buddy so I brought you in. When I met her, I honestly didn't see her coming. The first time I talked to her, she called me out on the lie I fed her, and I just couldn't stop myself from going back even though I knew she saw right through me. Then when my mom shot me, I didn't hesitate to find her. I don't think I was thinking of her helping me permanently when I showed her my identity, but I think somehow I knew she wouldn't walk away. She made us a team, and when Roy came in she didn't hesitate. She didn't even reject Sara or Laurel, and no one would have blamed her if she had; she just takes people in and accepts them without judgement.

"Now here we are two years later in my house, in my kitchen; and somewhere along the way she made us a family. When I came back from the island, who I was then, that person never hoped that he could have this. But she gave me hope, she made me believe in myself and my self worth again. I mean I'll never deserve her, but you have to know that who I was before the island is dead, the person I was two years ago is fading, and the person I am now will never stop trying to deserve her." He finally turned to Dig who was smiling at him.

Dig placed a hand on his shoulder as they heard Felicity yell at Roy in her loud voice which made Oliver smile too, "Roy, you are not a child. Clean up your dishes!"

"Yes, Mom!" Roy called back.

Oliver heard Dig's voice in his ear as he turned back to watch Felicity, "All we can ever really do we when love someone Oliver, is strive to deserve them." And in a joking manor he added, "And of course as the honorary big brother in this messed up family I have to warn you that if you make her cry I will kill you". Oliver couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Felicity was tired, it was past midnight after a very trying 36 emotionally overloaded hours and was looking forward to climbing into Oliver's big bed upstairs. It was good that he said he didn't intend to do anything tonight, because right now she could barely stay awake. Roy was sprawled out on top of a blanket on the opposite couch while she dozed leaning against Oliver on the other one and Dig stood at the window. Lance still hadn't called, and when Felicity went and checked her computers nothing had popped up for Troy yet. All they knew was that he was in the City and he was apparently good at hiding. She checked the standard security system on her house and it showed no signs of break in.

She briefly suggested going over there for clothes, but Oliver shut that down before she could finish talking and told her she could borrow one of his shirts to sleep in. Which secretly put a smile on her face at wearing his shirt, but made a mental note that their back up lairs should all be stocked in spare clothes as well as medical supplies. She tucked herself closer to Oliver, and then found herself being guided to lay across him to use the the pillow there for her head. His arm went around her waist and she hummed in response when he whispered, "Sleep, I'll wake you if we need to".

She let her eyes drift close as she heard a shuffle, a thud of someone hitting the floor, Roy groan out "Hey! What was that for?", something was thrown, and then she was warm. As she faded into sleep, curled up in Oliver's lap she heard Roy say "Oh!" and wondered if it was too soon for Oliver and her to be this comfortable with each other? Especially when she couldn't deny that it felt right.

When she woke up, she was floating up the stairs, or rather getting carried up the stairs gave her that impression and she was reminded of that night a few months back and Oliver carrying her because she had been unconscious. This was much better, she had no head injury and could just enjoy gazing up at him in silence. She thought he didn't know she woke up until a smile twitched at his lips, "Lance called, he looked into Troy which set off an alert with the FBI. After he talked to the FBI, they offered up a small army which is on its way. The person in charge has agreed to wait till morning to discuss details. I told them you needed to sleep".

They were entering his room now and he set her on his bed, "We should talk to them now, get it over with", she said rubbing sleep from her eyes and standing up as she watched Oliver go over to a dresser and pull out a shirt and a pair a shorts that looked like they might reasonably stay on her.

He turned to face her and handed her the clothes, he shook his head. "No, there is nothing that can be done tonight anyway. Dig is downstairs and Roy is up, they will talk to the FBI when they get here, and if they really do need us, Dig will wake us up".She just stood there holding the clothes in slight shock over hearing Oliver say 'us' and knowing Dig and Roy were downstairs. Oliver turned back to his dresser and pulled out sleepwear for himself. When he turned back to her, he frowned, "If you want to sleep in another room you can, I guess I kind of just assumed after earlier…" his voice trailed off hesitantly. his insecurity about the two of them showing through.

Felicity shook the sleep and shock off her face, "No, no it's fine it's just that we haven't really discussed what 'us' is yet and well part of me is kind of….I don't know. It's weird knowing that the first night we sleep together Dig and Roy are downstairs pulling guard duty while awaiting the arrival of the FBI and a psychopath, when two days ago we couldn't actually tell each other how we felt. And today, its like it's the most natural thing to kiss you, for you to kiss me, to fall asleep on you, and to go to bed with you. We haven't even really talked about it, and yet it feels like today was like we could have been like this for months. Does it make sense? I don't think I made sense" she said pushing her glasses back up her face.

Oliver made a 'ah' sound and pulled her to him, "Felicity, it's okay and we do need to talk. But for now, why don't we get some sleep, the lead on the FBI case will be here around 9AM so we can get a few hours of rest." She nodded and left to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, and saw a two days worth exhaustion, besides the nap she had with Oliver earlier, wearing on her. She wished she looked better the first night she slept with him, in even if it was in the non sexy way. She wished she could just have had a mildly sexy nightgown even if she could smell something faintly Oliver on the shirt and pants he gave her. She brought the shirt to her nose to get a better sniff, and grinned a little. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad surrounded in his scent while she slept.

She walked out a few minutes later in his shirt, forgoing the shorts because they kept falling down, as it was the shirt kept falling off her shoulder. Oliver was in sleep pants and was pulling the bedding down when he looked up at her and froze. His eyes went wide, and he just kept staring at her bare legs. She suddenly thought it might be too much, and nervously asked, "The shorts were too big. Is this okay?"

His voice came out like a hiss, "It's fine" He looked back up at her and she was met with a dark gaze, "Fine. I'm just gonna. I have to….bathroom. I need the bathroom" he rushed out the last part and nearly ran for the bathroom. Felicity knew that look, she probably wore one herself given that he wasn't wearing shirt. He often went shirtless in the foundry when he was working out, but this was different. She was going to be in bed with him,inches away from her and wouldn't have a shirt on. Nervously she thought maybe it would be easier if she just got in bed and turned the lights off, so she did.

When Oliver came out, he just slowly walked to the bed, and hesitantly got in. It seemed that awkwardness had finally set in as they faced each other in bed, inches apart, just staring at each other. It was like neither could even breathe as they looked at each other. Felicity could sense that he was tense, and so was she. She didn't know if she should scoot over, or stay put. He seemed to be in the same war.

Oliver seemed more decisive than she was because he reached out to stroke the side of her face and then pulled her closer to him as he shifted to her. He kissed her sweetly, not a kiss to excite passion, even though it did anyway; but a kiss that was a promise for tomorrow. It was a languid, bone melting kiss that made Felicity feel important and cherished. When they separated, he rolled onto his back and brought her to his side. He let out a sigh and relaxed as Felicity used his shoulder for a pillow and draped an arm over his stomach. She melted into him as his arms came around her. As sleep began to take its hold, Felicity heard Oliver whisper goodnight, and her last thought was that she had never felt more at home.

* * *

BIG THANKS TO HIPKARRMA! YOU ROCK MY LADY!

And of course, much to my disappointment I own nothing in regards to ARROW and DCComics!


	5. Setting a Trap

A HUGE THANKS TO HIP FOR BEING MY BETA!  
AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, I OWN NOTHING ARROW OR DCCOMICS...  
ALSO I WANT FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW SEXY EVERYONE WANTS THE EPILOGUE TO BE? LET ME KNOW ;)

When Felicity woke the next morning, she found she had moved while she slept. She was no longer pressed against Oliver's side, but half draped over him. Her head was in the crook of his neck, one leg pulled across his body. His hand was up the bottom of her shirt and resting on her underwear clad butt, drawing circles and lighting a fire inside her. She tried to move, she wasn't sure if it was to move away or bring herself closer, but she found Oliver was holding her so tight it was all she could do to move her head. When she tried, her lips grazed the crook of his neck and she could feel the shivers overtake his skin as he let out a throaty groan, she did it again with a sleepy smile wanting to tease him just a little.

His response was to groan, drag his hand down her bare thigh, and bring her closer to his middle, which in turn made Felicity groan at the sudden contract with a very hard part of him. She panted slightly into his neck with her eyes shut. Suddenly she felt Oliver's lips on her neck and her eyes shot wide open when he flipped her on her back and found herself facing a feral looking Oliver. His mouth dove at her's without restraint, and she offered little restraint in return. She let out a huge gasp when his hand trailed up under the shirt. His fully clothed hips thrust forward and her hips widened to accommodate him. Their minds were heavy with sleep and arousal; making their self-control weak. She found herself panting rapidly as hands explored her body underneath her shirt.

Suddenly, he pulled away from her and sat back on his calves. She met his dark eyes with her own as she felt both his hands climb up underneath the shirt. His question was clear to her, and she knew if she said yes, that there would be no coming back from that and she wondered, briefly, if it was too soon. Then his fingers hit a sensitive spot, and she arched up into his hands with a gasp. After that she decided to damn the consequences. Later, she would think that it was probably a good thing that that's when Dig knocked at the door; but that moment, when she heard the knock and Dig's voice thru the door; she thought she might be capable of murder.

"Oliver, Felicity? The FBI will be here in 30 minutes. Now I certainly can stall them for you two to finish, but I think you should come down sooner rather than later". Felicity glared at the door and dug her hands in the blanket at the blatant humor in his voice at knowing what he was interrupting. Oliver slowly, torturously, pulled his hands out from her shirt, formed them into fists and dug them in the mattress as his head made contact with her midsection. She could feel him growling, and it sent a different kind of shivers over her that made her laugh. Effectively slicing through some of the anger and lust. Oliver lifted his head and glared at her, which made her laugh even harder. "So, I will see you in a few minutes? Lyla is here too, by the way, and she made breakfast".

In a fit of giggles, Felicity responded "We will be down in a minute, Dig." as she looked into Oliver's eyes to see them still clouded with desire.

Dig's response was less than certain that they would make it down stairs quickly, "Uh huh", and then she heard his retreating footsteps.

For a moment, Oliver looked like he was going to kiss her again, knowing full well they likely wouldn't stop. Then he sighed, shut his eyes, buried his face into her stomach once more and wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around his head, and they stayed like that until Oliver's breathing returned to normal. He shifted in her arms to look up at her again, "When this is over. I want to take you out, just the two of us, uninterrupted".

Felicity sighed as her heart lifted just a little, but she needed to let him know that she didn't need that to love him. "Oliver, I don't need wining and dining. I'm happy just being able to be here with you".

His eyes dilated a little, "I know, but I need to do this right. I don't want to screw this up. You, this, us; is more important to me than you can imagine. I need to do this right." he said, his voice pleading with hers slightly, conveying so much emotion that her heart cracked a little.

She bit her lip, "Oliver, if you want to give me something special, then give us something that's us. We're not the kind of people who do nights out for dinner and theatre. Give us something that's us, that we don't get to have often. You want to give us something special? Give me a normal night in, five hours or maybe a whole night of just us and no interruptions. A night where we can just be us and we can talk candidly, be affectionate without restraint, and maybe fall into bed together at the end of it. Give me that. I don't need dinner Oliver, we've eaten together hundreds of times in public; give us something we have never had".

She saw him study her for a long moment, and then nod before slowly, disappointedly, extricating himself from her. When they finally made it downstairs, it turned out Dig had lied. The FBI agent in charge and Lance were due to arrive in about 40 minutes, but Dig said with a wink "If I told you guys what time it really was, you wouldn't have come down for breakfast".

Roy had gone to sleep in one of the spare rooms around 5AM and Dig was was going to wake him up after the meeting, and then Dig was going to take a nap since he hadn't yet slept. Felicity felt a sudden surge of guilt knowing that she and Oliver had been sleeping while Dig was up but Dig quickly assured it was okay, and reminded her that she had, had no sleep the night before. A few minutes Later and she found herself sitting down to banana pancakes.

She gave Lyla, who wasn't much of a cook, a strange look. Lyla shrugged as she uncharacteristically shoved a pancake in her you own mouth. "I heard the song Banana Pancakes this morning by Jack Johnson. I had to have them after that".

Felicity nodded, and Oliver smirked a little at Dig. "Hey, I'm not complaining. I'm just happy it wasn't Chinese food mixed with ice cream or some other weird craving", Dig responded laughing a little. Felicity couldn't help but smile at seeing everyone else happy.

She took the first bite of her pancakes, nearly moaned at how good they actually were, and then started choking when Lyla pointed at her and said, "Just you wait Oliver. When she is carrying around your child; you won't think its funny when she asks you for pickles and ice cream. Mmmmm, you have pickles and ice cream, don't you?" She added as she moved to rummage through his fridge.

Felicity's face turned beet red as started choking on her food. When she found herself capable of breathing a again, Oliver was a statue next to her with his fork suspended halfway to his mouth, and Dig was barking out laughter at him. Well, she decided, it was a good thing she didn't need the heimlich because she probably would be dead right now.

* * *

Oliver tried to remain calm as he stood sentinel behind Felicity who was sitting on the couch. She had just rehashed everything again, twice over, for the FBI who wanted to make sure she wasn't leaving anything out or lying to them. Which, of course, she was; but they didn't need to know that. The agent, Jacob North, flew from Vegas to take charge of the investigation. Apparently, he had been the one to talk to Donna. He was younger than Oliver and he was quite surprised to see a man closer to Barry's age than his own be in a position of such respect, but then he opened his mouth.

Within a sentence, everyone in the room knew he was usually in charge, even Lance seemed to have conceded to him which shocked him. It became very clear, early in the meeting that Agent North had an issue with Oliver. He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe, it was a general issue of dealing with men in power that believed that they were subject to their own laws. Maybe, it was Oliver's public image.

Whatever it was, Agent North was putting forth a lot of effort trying to exert his authority over Oliver, the one person in the room that was obviously more dominant than him, and the more he pushed; the less Oliver liked him. It also seemed that Agent North understood, that while he was dominant and appeared to have control of the room; he would get nowhere without Oliver's concession, and Oliver would only concede to Felicity who ultimately had say over what happened because it was her life on the line. So maybe, Agent North's problem with Oliver was that he knew in this room, despite appearance's, he had no control at all; which was not a good place to be when you're the lead on a major FBI case to bring down a casino owning, sociopathic thug.

"No!" Oliver shouted after Agent North made the mistake of suggesting the use of Felicity and her mother as bait. He didn't care about Donna, but he didn't trust these men to keep Felicity safe like he could. He found that he hadn't been the only one to object. Dig, who had been silently watching from the doorway, strode forward furiously and stood tall, arms crossed, and quietly showing Agent North how foolish his suggestion was. North took in Dig's sudden closeness as the threat he was. With a waiver in his eyes over Dig, to Oliver, and back to Felicity. Lance stood, resting his hands on his hips, and sent a scathing look to him as he angled his body to partially block Felicity from North's view as if to protect her from him. A part of Oliver wondered what Roy would have done, if he wasn't still asleep upstairs. Another part, was happy to know that he wasn't the only one who thought North was an idiot and it wasn't too late have the Arrow put one in the guy...

Oliver could see North's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed nervously before leveling Felicity with a concerned look. "I don't mean to give you the impression that I don't care about the danger that we would be putting you through, Miss. Smoak. I hope you understand that I do not make this suggestion lightly. However, we are in a very delicate situation, not just for your life, but for the investigation into all the lives Mr. Troy has already taken; not excluding the FBI agent you're mother witnessed getting brutally beaten to death. Now, I have sent an agent to Mrs. Troy's hotel room for her protection and to explain to her what we were suggesting after it was made clear last night by Mr. Queen that she was not welcome in his home and that you were not willing to meet with your mother at this time". North stopped.

Oliver couldn't see her face but he guessed it wasn't a happy expression she wore. Maybe he should have told her that North had wanted Felicity's mother here for this meeting, and when he refused to allow her in his home; suggested that they meet in her hotel room. To which he lied, stating that Felicity adamantly refused to meet with her mother. When in truth, he just wasn't comfortable with her leaving his home until they had a plan. This plan though, was not one he liked.

Felicity spoke up in a tone that gave away nothing; not even Oliver's lie. "Just so I understand. You are asking me, and my mother, to spend the night in my house alone. Your men will be standing by, so if there is any suspicious activity you can rush in quickly and take down the intruder. Which you're hoping is a psycho, and not just any psycho, but the right psycho. A psycho, I might remind you, that you have not been able to track since he landed in Starling City. So you have no idea if he has help or a hired gun who could do the job without tipping off your guards".

North frowned at her as she bluntly stated the facts back to him, "It is not so bleak as that Miss. Smoak. The men in my division are the best the FBI has to offer, you'll be hard pressed to find a man who could sneak past them".

He was wrong, Oliver knew Felicity could find several, three of which were under this roof, two more could be here in twenty four hours after one phone call; one he was sorely tempted to make but even he felt like it was overkill. Felicity turned to face him for a moment. He read her clearly without words, she was telling him she regretted her decision to call Lance, but was going to say yes. He wanted to argue with her, but they were in front of strangers and her eyes pleaded with him to trust her. He sighed, and nodded.

Quentin seemed to understand and responded in kind, "No", he shook his head, "I remember the last time you helped the cops catch a mad man. You were attacked and left bloody and bruised in an alley. Miss. Smoak, although I understand where Agent North is coming from, I have to advise against this. Oliver, surely you of all people understand she can't do this" His eye met Lance's.

Before he could speak Felicity reached out and squeezed his hand, "It's okay Captain Lance. I know what I am doing, and I won't be alone." She turned her head toward Agent North again who seemed to grasp what she was going to suggest and was going to cut her off with an objection. She didn't give him the opportunity, "If I agree to do this. I want Mr. Diggle, Oliver, and Mr. Harper in the house with us".

"Me too. I'm going to be in that house, if you're foolish enough to do this." Lance said.

"Miss. Smoak I don't-"

It was Diggle, who had remained silent thus far while North had explained his plan, that interrupted this time, "Agent North, with all due respect you seem to forget that we didn't need to contact the FBI at all. Mr. Queen is still an influential man with many enemies. As his Head of Security, I am well aware that should we have chosen to just bring Miss. Smoak onto the property and waited out Mr. Troy he would have come here eventually and I could have put a bullet in his head while he trespassed with the intent to harm my boss, or his friend; and no law would question it. We could do that still. If Miss. Smoak would like Mr. Queen in that house with her and he wants to be there; then that's what she'll have. If Mr. Queen is in that house, in harms way, then it's Mr. Harper's and my job to be there to protect him should your men fail. Are we at an understanding, Agent North?"

Dig's tone was that of a professional, and for a moment Oliver couldn't understand the formality in his speech when he knew Dig didn't like this anymore than he did. Then he remembered that outside their bubble, Dig was just his bodyguard and driver. To the outside world, Dig wasn't his friend and wasn't Felicity's friend either. To the outside world, he was still Oliver Queen who needed protecting and Felicity used to be his E.A; publicly they were nothing. He wondered, briefly, how Agent North saw them.

Agent North took a long look at Dig, and nodded with a frown. He stood up, buttoned his black suit jacket, and said "I need to make some arrangements. I will be in touch". He proceeded to the door without being let out and just left. The room fell to silence.

* * *

After North had left, Dig and Lyla went to lay down in a spare room while Oliver and Lance taught Roy about planning the inside security of an area with different variables. Only one thing became very clear that wouldn't change: Oliver wasn't leaving Felicity's side. Felicity watched for over an hour while they explained to Roy the value of having someone on every floor of the house, planning rotations, and making rounds. Everyone was completely ignoring how Lance wasn't even phased by how much Oliver seemed to know about the subject and how much more respect Lance seemed to have for him now that wasn't there before. It was interesting to see Lance making an effort to teach Roy something useful as well, and Felicity wondered if Lance connected Roy to the Arsenal yet, or not.

By the time Dig and Lyla woke up, North had called and a plan was set. The FBI secured her house, and planted cameras inside to be safe. The agreement was for everyone but Lyla to migrate to her home just before dinner; Lyla pulled strings to get herself in the surveillance van much to North's irritation. So they went, and she spent their dinner of delivery pizza staring daggers at her mother trying to figure out she came from such a vile woman.

Her mother showed no signs of remorse, or belief that she had done anything wrong while she sat here in her designer dress and perfect hair. She found herself incapable of looking at her, so after she ate Felicity went to the kitchen and began cleaning out her refrigerator with vigour. Oliver sat at the table with Lance and Dig; understanding that she wanted her space at the moment but staying where they could see her. Last time she walked out of the kitchen she saw Roy sitting on the couch glaring at her mother, who was sipping a glass of wine and relaxing in Felicity's recliner.

Silence rang out loudly. The camera's limited topics of conversation; but even still Felicity's current vibes were sending out clear 'no talking' signals. Tension rolled through the area with everyone, but her mother, apparently on edge. It was like that for over an hour. Felicity finished her fridge, had moved on to the freezer, and was about to take inventory of what was left to plan dinners for the week and make a grocery list when her mother walked in.

She grabbed a bottle of wine from the wine rack in her kitchen that happened to be stocked with Wine Oliver had given her from his family's wine collection. That particular bottle, a 2008 Bordeaux, was worth over $2000. She tried to give the wine back when she found out how much most of it was worth. Seriously, she thought at the time, she loved wine; but being gifted several bottles of wine worth more than her computers just seemed weird. Oliver hadn't cared though. He said he would either give it to her as payment with interest for that bottle of red he owed her from the 'scavenger hunt' or it would go with the mansion when he sold it. He rarely drank, so didn't see the point of keeping it. She consented.

She didn't know what possessed her to do what she did. Later, she would say she hadn't even realized she had done it. But she turned from her now clean freezer with a rag now covered in some strange mold she thought might be toxic and saw her mother rummaging through her drawers, calm as a beautiful summer day and just as bright in her yellow dress. She looked from her mother to the bottle resting on the counter and waiting to be opened, and back again to her mother.

Anger hit every cell in her being as her mother's mouth opened up, "Felicity, where is your- HUHHHUH!" She gasped. Felicity had whipped the filthy rag right at her mother's face.

"You Bitch!" Felicity yelled out. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the men at the table, start to stand up with wide eyes and shocked faces just before they froze when she picked up a scrubby to throw as well. As she yelled at her mother she just kept grabbing random things to throw. Keeping just enough sense to mind that they couldn't actually hurt her. "What the hell is the matter with you? You...You...You come into my life after being absent from it for 10 years. 10 YEARS! You just push your way into my life and endanger my family. You don't even seem the least bit interested in my life, only how you can exploit it for your gain. Do you even care about the position you put-"

Donna Smoak rolled her eyes at Felicity once the shock wore off and the projectiles stopped flying at her. She cut off Felicity with a tone that one might use to scold a child as she tossed the rag in the sink, "Oh, don't be so dramatic, Felicity. Despite this dog and pony show; you and I both know you're probably the safest person in this city. And those people are not your family. I am your family and should be there for me when I-".

Tears pricked Felicity's eyes as the white hot anger turned to cold fury, "That's what it always is with you; isn't it?" Felicity paused as she stepped toward her mother and mimicked her mother's voice, "Don't be so dramatic Felicity, boys find that annoying. Stop being a know it all, Felicity. Don't you see men don't want women who are smarter than they are. Felicity, when are you going to start acting like a girl? Felicity, you need to be more like me.

"Well, I don't want to be anything like you and _those people _are more family to me than you ever were. They value me, not use me. They protect me, not intentionally to try to get me hurt for their own gain. They love me, and after this; I'll never be able to believe you ever have. After this, I never want to see you again. Tomorrow morning, whether Troy comes or not, you are out of my life. We are done, do you understand me? Don't ever call me again and you are never welcome here. I don't care where you go and I don't want to know when you get there. You and I are done" She was toe to toe with her mother when she was done.

Her mother grew pale at Felicity's words and for the first time Felicity thought, her mother finally understood what she had done. Felicity gripped the handle of a drawer, wrenched it open, grabbed the wine opener, and slammed the drawer shut. Ripping open a cabinet, she grabbed a stemless wine glass, and then grabbed the bottle her mother had pulled out. "How's that for dramatic!" she said to her mother as she stormed out of the kitchen.

She nearly plowed into Roy as he stood there just outside of the doorway shell shocked. She looked dead into his wide eyes as she pointed to her mother with the hand holding the wine bottle, "She doesn't touch my wine. Got it!"

He should his head slowly as if he were scared of her, "Guard the wine, understood", he answer quietly as he backed away from her.

Felicity made for the stairs with the intent of locking herself in her bedroom. She didn't look back, but she knew Oliver broke out of his stupor of shock and was right on her heels. Just as she made to shut her door, Oliver squeezed in with his eyes nervously on her, and she could hear Roy down in the kitchen telling Dig "Dude, if mom and dad ever fight. I'm on her side. Holy shit!"

* * *

Oliver didn't think he had been more shocked when he found out Slade had been still alive. In all the time he knew Felicity, never had he seen her like this. He had been stunned, so had Diggle, Lance, and poor Roy who looked like he had been about to piss himself when she looked at him. He couldn't help himself, now that they were in her room, a small smile cracked his face as he thought about her throwing the rag at her mother and told Roy to guard the wine like it was sacred; and the sudden tightness of his pants made it hard for him to deny that he found it kind of hot too.

She threw the bottle, glass, and opener on her bed; then walked into her bathroom. He heard the lock click into place behind her and then her shower ran shortly there after. He didn't know how long she would be in there, but he figured he could wait her out. He shut and locked her window to be safe and then picked up the bag of his clothes that Roy had haphazardly thrown on the floor in here when he and Dig did a walk through with the FBI when they all got here. He had his bag half unzipped when he stopped.

He looked back at the window. The FBI, Dig, and Roy all told him that the house was secured. Secured meant all doors and windows were locked right? His body iced over as his eyes looked to the walk in closet. He pulled his phone out, and quietly texted Dig, '_Felicity's window open_'. Slowly, silently he walked to her closet , praying to god whoever broke in was in there because he didn't want to think of the alternative. He couldn't, not yet.

He heard sudden movement come from downstairs as he gripped the handle of her closet and ripped it open. Fear like he had never known it ripped through him. It was empty. So that left him two options: whoever broke in was in the bathroom where Felicity had currently locked herself in, or they were somewhere else in the house. He could feel his heart ramming against his chest as he used the same slow, steady approach he took to the closet to get to the bathroom door. If there was someone in there with her, he didn't need to tip them off and scare them into doing something stupid, and if there was no one in there with her then he didn't want to scare her by kicking in the door.

He approached the door like it was a bomb as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He needed to remain calm. He needed to act rationally. He needed her to be alone in this bathroom. He raised his fist and tapped it against the door as casually as he could. There was no response; his fear rose. He called out to her this time, "Felicity". He hoped he kept the panic out of his voice. Felicity's door to her bedrooms opened slowly and Dig walked in. Oliver took his eye off the door for only a moment to see Dig mouth, "Roy" and signal a walk around. He nodded and turned back to the door.

Again he called, "Felicity" with his heart hammering against his rib cage and a visible shaking starting to take over his limbs. He gripped the door handle to the bathroom to test if he could break it, as Dig started to approach, worry etched in his features. This time Oliver yelled out, "Felicity! I need you to opened this door right now! Please! You need to open this door!" He could hear his out fear in his voice. He didn't give her much of a chance to respond as he already started trying to break the knob.

The door came flying open before he was able to. Relief flooded his system so quickly he didn't think.

"WHA-" Felicity started yelling at him, but she never finished the one word as he grabbed her, panic filled her face as he walked her back into the bathroom.

Over his shoulder he yelled to Dig, "lock the door behind you. Tell everyone to be in the livingroom in five minutes!" Then the door shut in the bathroom. He found himself in the room full of steam with his arms full of Felicity wrapped in a towel.

He let the relief soak into for a minute, and he didn't answer Felicity at first when she asked, "What's going on?" Which morphed into, "Oliver, you're scaring me?" He gave himself over to just the feel of her alive and well in his arms for a few more moments, allowing his heart to calm and his body to stop shaking. All the while, trying to ignore the fact that she was in nothing but a towel. He pulled back and looked at her for just a moment and felt her skin tense under his fingers as her eyes widened in alarm. He knew then, that she understood before he even said the words, "Someone was in the house".

He saw her grab the towel tighter around her as she started shivering. The last time he saw that look on her face was when Slade had her kneeling at his feet with a blade to her neck. A sight, Oliver knew, he would never forget until the day he died. He wasn't even sure, God wouldn't haunt him with that image in his after life. He pulled Felicity into his arms and just held her and regret filled him once again for having used her as a pawn in the war against Slade. Even if she had been willing to do it, it didn't make the fear she felt any less or his guilt for having led her into that trap any lighter. In fact, he firmly believed that her willingness to go up against a wall, every time, despite her fears; is what made her the true hero.

He felt her fingers dig into her his shirt, "Come on," He told her, "Lets get dressed so we can get downstairs"

She nodded, and Oliver backed up from her, turned and opened the door. He was careful to keep her behind him and she careful to keep one hand buried in the back of his shirt and the other tightly on the towel. He glanced around the room as Felicity let go of his shirt and made for her dresser. Her fear of being left alone right now, must have overridden her sense of modesty as she grabbed a few pieces of clothes and the towel fell from her grasp as she tried to put them on. He turned away from her quickly as the towel landed on the floor. He shut his eyes almost painfully as he told himself this wasn't going to be how he saw her naked for the first time. Not when she was too scared to be alone. He had other ideas of how he wanted the first time he saw her naked to go.

The sounds of her quickly pulling clothes on became torture knowing she was less than 3 feet behind him. He blew out a breath and opened his eyes when the noises stopped and Felicity's hand grabbed his bicep. "Sorry", she muttered, but he didn't say anything. He just pulled her behind him again and walked toward the door.

As Oliver pulled the door open he whispered, "Stay behind me". He couldn't see her, but he could feel her nod against the back of his shirt as he pulled her in the hallway, after checking that the hall was clear.

They made it to the living room, and found everyone seated in Felicity's living room. There was a certain edge coming off of everyone and he knew without anyone saying anything; that nobody was found in the house. He frowned. Felicity's house wasn't that big and there were not a lot of places to hide.

His eyes met Dig's and found the same concern mirroring his own as Dig said, "We went top to bottom. No ones here" His frown deepened. He trusted Dig implicitly, if he said they found no one. There was no one to find. But what about the window?

Somewhere, in the recesses of his mind, something nagged at him. His gripped tightened on Felicity, who still stood behind him. Dread filled him and he couldn't figure out what was bothering him. He looked around the room. There was a big bay window, and as he stared out that window, something from years ago wiggled loose in his mind. When you're setting a trap, the first thing you need to do is make sure your target is where you need them to be. For example, if your target(s) is in a house and you need them in front of the window that allows for the easiest access to take out said target(s).

His eyes went wide and he reacted without thinking. As he pivoted on his heel he yelled, "Get out of the living room!" He grabbed Felicity by the waist and dove for the stairs. He turned so his body would take the brunt of the blows from the stairs; just as his head bounced hard off a step he heard glass shatter, saw plaster fly as the bullet hit the wall where Felicity had been standing, and then he saw nothing.


	6. Save Me

A BIGE THANKS TO MY GIRL HIP AND OF COURSE I DONT OWN ANYTHING ARROW.

ALSO I WILL BE POSTING A PG13 VERSION OF THE EPILOGUE HERE BUT IF YOU SHOULD WISH TO READ THE MATURE VERSON WHEN I POSTED IT...YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND IT ON AO3...THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL REVIEWS.

* * *

"Oliver!" Felicity screamed as she leaned over Oliver's limp body. "Oliver!" She screamed over and over as she shook him. She felt the beat of his heart under her fingertips, saw the steady rise and fall of his chest, but he wasn't conscious and worse, saw blood stain the stair under his head. "Oliver!" Knowing he was alive, but not seeing his blue eyes staring at her had her panicking.

Someone's hands came around her, tried to pull her back, but she jerked away. In the back of her mind she was registering that bullets were eating up her living room but she was beyond caring. The hands were back, pulling her away and she tried to fight. The hands let go. Roy's face came into her vision as he stepped over Oliver and grabbed her by the shoulders. He forced her to look at him, "Hey Blondie! We have to get him up the stairs. Come on. You have to help me get him up the stairs before he is shot!" She looked down at Oliver's legs as Roy gestured to them. Sure enough, half of Oliver's bulk hadn't made it to the stairs. She looked back at Roy with tears in her eyes.

Roy was calm in the midst of her storm. Roy, the youngest of them all and the newest member to their crusade; was looking at her with understanding, compassion, and a calm that just seemed wrong for someone his age. He was barely old enough to have graduated from College and here he was telling her to calm down and help him move Oliver, his mentor, while bullets were tearing up her living room.

Resolve finally set in her as she determined to not fall apart. She nodded at Roy and worked to help him move Oliver further up in the stairwell to shield him from the bullets. Once Oliver was protected, Roy looked at her "Stay here", he ordered as he ran back down the stairs. Felicity obeyed as she moved to cradle Oliver's head in her lap, and for the first time look up and see what was happening. From the safety of her walled in stairwell she saw little, but it was enough. Her mother and Lance had made it to the confines of her kitchen, but Dig and now Roy were out of sight. A spike of fear ripped up her spine at not knowing their fate but she reminded herself that it was Dig and the Arsenal out there and they weren't easily defeated.

The tears silently fell as she held Oliver and waited for the bullets to stop flying. She watched on, in what felt like hours, but in reality it was less than minutes, as chunks of her furniture went flying, the screen to her TV shattered, and her coffee table was turned to shrapnel. An enlarged photo of the first family dinner they had, had here; that Felicity had framed and hung up fell as it split in half. All the while the tears just poured and her heart cracked down the middle. She gave up watching the damage occur, and just shut her eyes. She pulled Oliver's head closer and prayed to every God out there to protect her family. She could hear nothing but the whistle of bullets and the impact they made as it made a horrible symphony of sounds.

Then there was nothing. There was an eerie quiet that scared her even more than the sound of the bullets. At least with the oncoming fire she knew what was happening. Without that bullets she had know idea if the shooter was laying in wait for proof of life, of death, if they were moving closer, or God hoping, leaving. Although, she knew the last one was doubtful. She was afraid to move. She wasn't even sure she had it in her to move anyway. This wasn't like with Slade.

With Slade the variables were clear. She either stabbed Slade with the syringe or didn't. He either saw through Oliver's charade or he didn't. She walked away, or she didn't. Sure the stakes were high but here there were variables they couldn't account for and wasn't that part of her job as the genius behind the Arrow. Wasn't part of her job figuring out all the variables for him? Here, she couldn't think; couldn't plan, couldn't factor the variables to help plan the mission. This was why she should have let Team Arrow handle this man. If Arrow and Arsenal went after Troy they would have lured him into a trap and not the other way around. Oliver wouldn't be unconscious in her lap, her living room wouldn't be destroyed, and she would know what to do. This was her fault. There were a dozen other ways, she was sure even if she couldn't think of one at the moment, that they could have taken out Troy without linking it to the Arrow.

She heard slow, measured steps coming from the stairs above her and she froze. Everyone, she knew, was down stairs. So who was coming down the stairs that she and Oliver currently rested on?

She opened her eyes and turned her head. Her eyes fell on a pairs of black boots and the cuffs of jeans. She followed the legs attached to the boots up to where his hand held a 6 inch blade and then up to his face. His cold, black eyes stared down at her. He flick the knife toward her neck and gestured in an upward movement, "Up" he told her as if it was the most normal thing in the world. She looked at Oliver as she began to tremble nervously. He was still unconscious. For a moment, just a split second, she squeezed Oliver's head tighter out of fear. The man apparently didn't like being kept waiting, grabbing her by her hair forcing her to look at him ordering, "UP!" laying the blade to her neck. She gently sat Oliver's head done and slowly stood.

Every part of her flooded with a pain that had nothing to do with the physical. He grabbed her arm and directed her down the stairs, "Move, sweetheart" he ordered. She did as he asked, fully aware of the knife on her throat. She was terrified. Flashes of Slade and his sword to her neck hit her full force as she struggled to control her breathing and not panic. Right now, she couldn't afford to panic.

* * *

The first thing Oliver noticed when he opened his eyes was that Felicity had a knife to her throat. The second thing he noticed was that he couldn't move to protect her. He knew he had hit his head; a sharp pain radiated from his skull, and his vision was out of focus. However, he didn't think he could have been out for more than a minute or two. His body felt sluggish and disconnected as he tried to will himself into movement as he watched helplessly as Felicity rose u and walked down the stairs with the man who had the knife to her throat.

This time wasn't like watching when Slade had his sword to her throat. Oliver was able to remain calm because they had a plan, and it was apart of the plan to let Felicity be taken by Slade. A decision he would spend the rest of life wondering how he could do that when he had tried so hard to keep her safe. It didn't make it easy to watch, but he was able to stay focused.

This time, he couldn't stay calm. His heart was beating so fast it was if he was on speed and fear pumped through his veins harder than any drug he had ever known. When his body finally responded; he sat up slowly. Delirium flooded his brain as things went in and out of focus. He grabbed the railing, and used it pull his weight up. Lightheadedness struck him and almost forced him back down before he steadied himself. He took a tentative step down with a tight grip on the railing for support. He needed to get to Felicity, but he realised he needed to go slow to get there. Even in his reduced mental capacity, he knew he would be no good to Felicity if he ended back up on the floor. Plus, slow meant he could be quiet. Hopefully.

He reached the bottom of the stairs as stealthily as he could manage before he was forced to let go of the railing. He paused just for a second to make sure he could walk without the support. The stranger's back was to Oliver but Roy and Dig were there, standing in front of the man with Felicity in his arms, and facing him with Dig's 9mm trained on the guy. He knew Dig and Roy saw him; they gave no indication that they knew he was there. Lance and Donna were out of his line of sight and he mostly just hoped they were okay and stayed where they were to not give him away.

He waited to move on the guy till he was right behind him. He was talking but Oliver couldn't make out his words over the ringing in his ears. It came through as a jumble. Oliver guessed by the tense way Roy and Dig stood and their silence that it must have been along the lines of 'You move and I will kill her'. Both men knew that they were too far away to actually stop the man if he decided to do it and with Felicity essentially being a body shield, Dig couldn't actually risk a shot yet.

His sole focus had been on his plan to incapacitate the man via a choke hold when he was taken off guard by the sound of another voice. Ice mingled with the fear in his veins as he knew his position had been given away. He couldn't make out most of the words but he understood his name and sudden jerk sideways of the man holding Felicity. He could've let out a string a curse words as the man who was using Felicity as a human shield met his eyes. He backed away pulling Felicity with him until his back hit the wall and he had his eyes on the three of them. That's when he saw the man look over to the door to the other man that joined them.

Oliver didn't look at the man, he knew who it was. His eyes zeroed in on Felicity who looked at him in a mixture of relief and fear. He focused on her; her tears, her wide eyes, the way she bit her trembling lip, her fear, how even under it all she remained calm, and her unwavering trust in him. She had to have known, just as he did, that if Troy was in her livingroom it mean that the FBI people watching the house were likely dead. He also knew that if the response team watching the camera feed were not responding then either the cameras were on a loop or they were dead. Dig's mind, he was sure, was probably on the safety of Lyla and his unborn child, and knowing there was nothing they could do about it right now no matter what their fate was.

The ringing in his ears didn't die down, but he found that he was able to focus better, and was able make out what Troy said when he spoke to him. It sounded like he was far away instead of ten feet from him. "Oliver Queen, it is nice to see you again. It would seem that my wife has not told me everything about my stepdaughter; I didn't know you were involved with Felicity . It's a shame that you've been brought into my family drama. If I had known I would have handled this a lot differently. Oh well." He said with a shrug. Oliver turned to look at him as two other men came in behind him holding guns. "Mr. Queen, let's not let this get nasty. Tell your bodyguard to put down his gun".

Oliver glanced at Diggle and found that his weapon was now trained on Troy. Dig glanced at him but didn't take his eyes of Troy for long. Roy stood next to him watching everything and ready to pounce. He met Troy's eyes again, "Tell your man to let Felicity go. He'll put the gun down when you do that". His voice came out more steady than he felt.

"Ahh," He started, "That might be a problem. See, I told my wife that if she ran I would come after her daughter; and she ran. She ran here in fact. I know she is in the house Mr. Queen. I know she is hiding here somewhere; but I will make a deal with you. You produce my wife and I will tell my man to let go of Felicity". Oliver noted that he said '_let go of her_' not '_let her go_'. He looked at Felicity and even though he didn't agree, he understood. Her eyes told him that even after what her mother did, she was still her mother and didn't want her mother brought in to save herself. Even if her mother was the reason she was in this whole mess in the first place.

He frowned, but nodded at her in understanding. After everything his parents did, he would have never coughed them up to save himself. He turned to say something to Troy when a voice cut him off, "Okay" was all it said. She was quiet and sounded nervous; but Donna Troy slowly edged out of the kitchen, arms half up in surrender, and tears running down her eyes. Oliver was shocked, and it didn't escape his notice that so was Felicity and Troy. He looked down at Donna's feet, and there lying in the prone position with only an eye and the barrel of his gun sticking out the kitchen, was Quentin Lance.

* * *

Felicity recognised a slight change in Oliver that she knew only Team Arrow would pick up on. It was subtle and the blade was pinching her neck so she was afraid to turn her head for fear of being cut to see what Oliver must have seen. She could see her mother scuttling into the room, wide eyed and surprised by herself. Felicity couldn't believe it herself but didn't have much time to rejoice as she heard Oliver tell Troy, "You got what you wanted. Tell your man to let Felicity go". Oliver was tense, and he had spoken in his 'Arrow' voice.

She didn't see what the non verbal exchange was, but she was momentarily happy as the blade left her neck and she found herself roughly thrust forward and into Oliver's arms, who caught her easily enough. For a moment, just a moment, she allowed herself to wallow in the relief, let the scent of him wash over her, and the knowledge that he seemed to be okay before turning around to take in what she saw.

However, she didn't see much of anything before she found herself thrown to the ground with Oliver on top her and then a rapid succession of two different guns shooting off rounds. She tried to look but Oliver pushed her head down and hissed in her ear to keep down. The shots were over quickly,a quiet hissing noise was heard, and a few loud thuds. It was like listening to Oliver, Roy, and Dig thru the comms without the benefit of having a computer screen to guide her and the distance to keep her safe.

She heard heavy footsteps and tried to move to see what was happening but she couldn't. She could barely breathe with the full weight of Oliver pressing down on her. If she couldn't still feel his heavy breath on her cheek she would have been concerned that he had passed out again. "Oliver!" She found herself calling out once more, only this time it was to find out what was happening in the remains of her brownstone. "Oliver, what's going on?"

He lifted his head, and a beat passed before he replied, "It's ok. It's over. Felicity, it's over". Slowly, Oliver's weight lifted off of her and she found herself in a mix of relief and disappointment at the loss of the contact. She rolled onto her stomach and saw Oliver use what was left of her coffee table as leverage to get himself up. He turned to grab her hand and pull her up. She noticed that he was shaky on his feet, but it was quickly ignored at the first real glance of the horror that had become her living room. Amidst all the pieces of what was once her living room she saw Roy slowly climbing up from on top of her mother, as he had protected her as Oliver had protected Felicity. Dig was zip tying the two men who were last to join the party while the man who had held the blade to her throat was obviously dead from a gunshot wound to the head.

She couldn't take her eyes from the blood that now saturated her carpet. The blood of the man who, not two minutes ago was planning on sticking a blade in her neck. She shouldn't feel guilt about his death when he wouldn't have felt any over hers; but she couldn't look away from the red stain that was bleeding into her beige carpet. Even though the blood had already stopped flowing, the red kept spreading. The blood would never come out. His blood would also be there. She could get the carpet ripped up and removed, but somehow she knew, for her, it would always be there.

Suddenly, she remembered something from when she had read _A Song of Fire and Ice_. What had the old crone said? _Only death can pay for life_. She shuddered, she understood death; she understood that he had to die for her to live tonight. Oliver had killed several times, even killed to save her; but this was different. This was the first time she ever had to stare at it. First time she ever had to see the blood. Oliver always tried to protect her from this; but she couldn't unsee all the blood now.

Oliver's hands came down on her shoulders and drew her into him. His warmth woke her up from her stupor and shook her from her focus on the blood. In that moment, she knew he understood. He understood the blood and how no matter what she did; she would never stop seeing it. Had he ever stopped seeing the blood?

In her ear he whispered, "Don't. Don't do this to yourself. It's not your fault". And that was it, wasn't it? Another person died as a result of her. Another person killed to protect her. Did it matter that the person was going to kill her? Did it matter that she hadn't really done anything wrong? She closed her eyes and melted into Oliver, relying on Oliver's strength to bring her back to herself.

It was then that she realized how unstable he was on his feet when he began to sway under her weight and he took an unsteady step back. She whipped around in his arms in alarm as she watched him studder in his steps, shake his head, and blink. Then his weight seemed to give as Felicity reached out to him. She wasn't able to stop him, but she was able to at least reach out and grab him so he fell back onto the couch and not the floor. "Oliver, are you okay?" She asked trying not show her fear. He had landed so that he was sitting but he was looking at her like he wasn't really able to see her.

"I'm fine" he stated weakly. She bit her lip as concern for him spread. Her fell on the blood that was still oozing from his skull. She grabbed Oliver's unsteady head with both hands to inspect the wound better. The freshness of the blood reminded Felicity that, although everything had felt like it had happened over hours, it was really only minutes ago that Oliver hit his head. The gash was deep, and she knew this time she could do nothing about it. This wasn't Arrow business and this wasn't the foundry. She turned her head to scan the room, but never let go of Oliver's head. Her eyes landed on Quentin's for the first time just as Oliver's arms snaked around her waist and pulled her closer as he buried his face into her shirt. She flinched as the warm, stickiness of the blood penetrated the shirt.

She tried not to focus on Oliver for just a moment, but focus of Lance. She hadn't noticed before, but she hadn't saw much after seeing the blood; which she could still see even though she tried to ignore it as well as the familiar smell copper that filled that air whenever her boys came back bloody. Lance was on the floor with one finger on Troy's pulse and the other holding the phone to his ear.

Only random words of his sunk into her as he yelled into his phone, " Back up….at least two dead….ambulance…..I don't know…".

She needed to get his attention; Oliver needed help, "Quentin!" she yelled, realizing she has never before called him by his first name. He stopped mid sentence over something about the missing FBI and looked at her, "He needs to go the ER".

He nodded and looked her up and down for a moment, "You both need to" he said before he went back to shouting into his phone. Oliver's head jerked up and his unfocused eyes met hers. He had heard Quentin say she needed to go to the ER too. He wordlessly pulled her down into his lap without thought to anyone in the room and she quickly forgot them too. Oliver's hands were on her, but there was nothing romantic about it.

He was slowly, methodically running his hands over her checking for whatever it was that Quentin noticed; pulling bits of glass and debris off of her as he went. It became clear to Felicity that Oliver wasn't trusting his site even though his eyes followed his hands wherever they went and they went places that excited things from her that weren't appropriate with an audience. She knew he wasn't thinking clearly, or really aware of where his hands were going as they traveled, looking for every scratch, scrape, or bruise.

She grabbed his hands and stopped them roaming. His dilated eyes darted to hers. He just stared at her for a long minute before pulling his hands free from her grasp. With slow, uncertain movements, he reached up to cup her face. Then suddenly, he forcefully pulled her face to his until their lips met in a bruising kiss. The kiss said everything that Oliver seemed uncomfortable saying in front of everyone. He had been more scared than he ever had been before. This time was different, their feelings were out there now. He wasn't denying, holding back, anymore. So now he knew how much he had to lose and he had been afraid that he would have lost her before they had really begun.

The kiss kept changing as he expressed every new emotion that he was feeling. Hard to soft, barely a whisper to his tongue dancing with hers. Fear, love, being cherished, the desperate need to protect her, and the fierce desire to let everyone know she was his. His Felicity.

* * *

The next few hours went by in a blur. He knew he likely had a bad concussion and he wasn't really seeing things as they were happening; but rather as random moments. One moment he was kissing Felicity like his life depended on her for survival, which in a strange way he knew it did, and the next moment people were everywhere. Then they were arriving in the ER and the attending Doctor wanted to separate them. He didn't remember saying anything, but he must have because Felicity ended up being treated for minor injuries in the same room as he was for his head injury. They had only parted when he was made to get a CT scan.

He remembered Felicity and himself being ushered out of the hospital by security after someone tipping the press off about what happened. He remembered dozing in his living room with Felicity pressed against him, diligently making sure he kept waking up like the doctor told her to do. Neither of them slept within that first 24 hours after the incident. Dig, Lyla and Roy showed up to his house shortly after they had arrived themselves. Given that they had no injuries, the police had made them stay to give statements. The only answers they got before were that surveillance had been untouched and Lyla had been unharmed. Dig informed them that Lance had said he would be by sometime in the next day now that they were in the morning of the following day.

His focus seemed to improve and he suffered no symptoms that indicated something to be concerned about so when the initial period of observation was up he hauled Felicity to her feet and dragged her to his room where they slept like the dead for hours. Oliver never remembered sleeping as well as he had with Felicity next to him. When they woke they were still exhausted but knew they couldn't sleep anymore. So they extricated themselves in favor of food and much needed answers.

The Gate alarm sounded around noon signaling the arrival of Lance with another officer, and Agent North. Dig rushed out the door, with Roy in tow, to greet them. Oliver saw from the window as sharp words were exchanged between Dig and North before Lance stepped between them. He watched Dig smooth out his tie and usher the men inside. The second officer was holding up the rear with an arm full take out. Oliver caught Lyla rolling her eyes at Dig out of the corner of his eyes.

Oliver got the general impression that North bought the food for two reasons: one being that he felt guilty over something, and the other being that he expected to be here for sometime. He understood the necessity of them coming here but it didn't mean he had to like it. He would also be damned if they stayed longer than what was due. He had no problem kicking their asses out if it came to it.

It was about an hour after they arrived when they finally ready to talk and Oliver's patience was already wearing thin. He recognised stall tactics when he saw them. He, Felicity, and Lyla sat on one of the couches while Dig and Roy, playing the part of the paid protectors, stood behind them. Lance sat across from them with the other cop sitting next to him. North hung on the outskirts of the room. The message was clear. The FBI screwed up so Lance was in charge.

"Mr. Troy is currently in a coma at Starling General. The Doctors think that the odds of him making it are slim to none." Lance started bluntly. Oliver couldn't find it in himself to be concerned. Although, he would admit to himself that he was glad that Troy's eventual death wasn't on his hands. Even if he was willing to take it.

"I don't know how much you were aware of the other night; but enough evidence has been gathered to give us a good idea of last nights events. It would seem that the surveillance vans power and signals were cut and everyone was locked inside when they tried to get out. It took them nearly 30 minutes to fix it" The eyes in the room cut the Agent North, who showed a significant amount of embarrassment on his face. There was a moment of silence that Oliver thought was kind of comical before Lance started speaking again. Oliver noticed the pull on Felicity's lips and the slight shake of her shoulders. No doubt picturing Lyla and the FBI locked inside the surveillance van like sardines in a tin can without cell signal. He also was well aware of the relief that rolled off Dig at hearing Lance confirm what Lyla had already told him. That she had never been in danger.

"The man who was holding Ms. Smoak hostage was shot by Mr. Diggle after Oliver and Mr. Harper took Ms. Smoak and Mrs. Troy out of the line of fire. Your mother, Ms. Smoak has already given her statement and has been cleared to leave. I understand that you were less than willing to speak with her but just in case you change your mind. I believe her flight leaves in the morning back to Vegas". He paused for a moment, but Felicity said nothing. She didn't need to, he knew that after everyone left she would probably go see her mother and Oliver would go with her. She said a lot of things to mother in the heat of the moment; but he understood that she would not really want to leave things like that with her mother.

Oliver reached over and squeezed her hand as Lance continued again, "The two gunmen were taken out by both and I, and I shot Mr. Troy. We are currently looking into how Mr. Troy was able to stay hidden from us and where he was able to get his help but we don't believe that there is any risk to your life at this point".

The rest of the meeting went pretty quickly. Roy and Dig having already given statements; it was left for Oliver and Felicity to give theirs. Lance seemed to sense that their welcome was wearing thin and he seemed extra motivated to leave when Felicity let out an obviously fake to Oliver, yawn. The hint was taken, and his house soon emptied of everyone carrying a badge.

Dig was the first one to break the silence moments after the cars disappeared down the drive, "Do you want me to get the car?"

Felicity looked up at Dig, apparently lost in thought and brought out by Dig's voice. "Huh?"

It was Oliver that answered Dig, "Why don't you take Lyla home. Roy can drive us, since neither of us should be driving right now". Dig nodded, clapped Roy on the shoulder and turned to leave with Lyla. Roy nodded and followed them out the door silently. Oliver knew he was uncharacteristically silent, but he also knew that Roy was trying hard to accept his new public secret identity as the hired help

"Where are we going?" She asked as he pulled her to her feet.

"To see your mother", Oliver responded without hesitation. She looked like she was going to object when he added, "I know you were already thinking about it just now. She's your mother and I know you don't really want to leave things for her they way you did". He pulled her into a hug and she sighed.

"No, I don't. I just don't know what to say. I mean I don't completely regret what I said; I just feel I could have said it better and she is still my mother. To be honest, I don't really think she doesn't love me. That took a lot of guts to come out like that and I just….I just don't know. But I do think I should say goodbye to her".

He rubbed her shoulders as he hugged her, "Say whatever you need to and besides; I have a few things of my own to say". Oliver grinned as Felicity pulled back a little from him but stayed in his arms and leveled him with a knowing look.

"Oliver Queen, you will not threaten my mother!" His grin broadened at the use of her loud voice, and she playfully hit him as he laughed at her. Oliver couldn't help himself as his grin spread wide and Felicity tried to half heartedly admonish him and extract a promise from him, "Oliver, promise me! Promise me you are not going to threaten my mother!" He started to maneuver her toward the door when she fully pulled away, "Oliver! I'm serious!" But she wasn't completely, and they both knew it.

He snatched her by the waist and brought her back to him, smirking he said "I wouldn't dream of it. That's your job". Before she could respond, his lips were on hers. She melted into him and it occurred to him that this was the first time he kissed her since the shooting. This kiss had a quality that the others hadn't had. It was light hearted, playful even, as he nibbled at her bottom lip and tickled her side. She let out a laugh against his lips and then pulled him in for a deeper kiss.

No, he thought, he wouldn't need to threaten Donna. He was pretty sure Felicity's last words to her had finally reached her mother. However, he didn't think it would hurt to remind her that it wasn't the Arrow she needed to worry about should she get any more ideas. The brute force of the Arrow was contained to Starling City; Oliver Queen's name still held enough international sway to do far worse damage. And there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect Felicity. The girl who has been slowly, saving him and protecting him from himself.


	7. Epilogue

So...first the norm... I dont know or own anything/anyone ARROW or DCCOMICS related other than my copies of the comics...

Second and most important: THANK YOU HIP FOR BEING PATIENT WITH MY THROUGH ALL MY GRAMMER MISHAPS...

THIRD: i ORIGINALLY SET OUT TO WRITE A COMPLETELY STEAMY, EXPLICIT OLICITY LOVE SCENE...BUT I COULDN'T DO IT...I LOVE MY OTP SO MUCH THAT IT FELT LIKE AN INVASION OF PRIVACY TO DO SO...SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO YOU HAVE A LEMONY-ESQE EPILOGUE! I HOPE YOU ENJOY!

* * *

It took a week for everything to settle down. It was a week of no Arrow business, a week of more visits by the cops, meetings with insurance investigators, contractors, and doctor visits for both Oliver and Felicity. She knew that they had suffered worse injuries during their Arrow missions; but they were forced to do this by the book for appearances sake. The media circus had yet to die out. Oliver was cleared by the neurologist on day five, but without the cover of Verdant; they had no excuse to venture to the foundry with paparazzi still on their tail. She knew Oliver was getting antsy to put on his leathers and nock his bow, not to mention that the sexual tension between them the past few days was hitting a peak.

They weren't denying themselves anymore, but that also meant they weren't hiding their desires from each other either. She was staying with Oliver until the contractors were done fixing her brownstone which was proving to be problematic because; although the first three or so nights she was here he was still suffering from side affects from his head injury and she was still too tired to really do anything. Not to mention that they weren't here alone. When they decided to make Felicity bait, she had called Sin and told her to stay at Roy's. Naturally, Sin wanted to be there but Felicity made her stay away until she received the all clear; reluctantly she agreed. Now, the brownstone was tore up and Sin said Roy's house was dirty and smelled like Roy. Felicity had to laugh because she really thought Sin was just growing attached to being around her all the time. So, after some persuasion, Oliver agreed to the extra house guest.

On the fourth night she didn't even care that Sin was there; Felicity was ready to jump Oliver. He had been ready the first night despite doctor's orders,but she had said no. She was in the middle of working herself and Oliver out of their clothes with considerable help from him when the alarms sounded. Paparazzi had broken onto the property. They never made it to the house, but the mood had been killed and after that Roy and/or Dig and Lyla were always at the house too.

Now a total of seven days had passed and the only time Oliver and Felicity had been alone was when they were asleep. Its not that they couldn't have done something it was just that Felicity wasn't comfortable enough with everyone in the house and quite frankly if they were interrupted again she might burst. Besides they still hadn't talked much about what being an 'us' meant; and not just for themselves but for everyone else as well. When she was his E.A. they were together nearly 18 hours a day, and even when he lost the company she was still with him most hours of the day. Could they really be together 24 hours a day?

They also needed to set some boundaries. She knew Oliver wanted her to be his E.A. again once he got the company back; and while she knew why Oliver wanted her there she wasn't sure it would be a good idea if they were together. But they had time to worry about that. Right now was night 7 and Oliver had just kicked everyone but her out of his house. He couldn't take it anymore she knew. For him, it was too much with no outlet. He was used to being around Dig, herself, and now Roy constantly but not Lyla and Sin always in and out of his house. So Felicity understood.

She thought at first he was going to say they all needed to go to the Foundry, after all the Arrow and the Arsenal hadn't been seen in a week; but he had other plans. As soon as everyone was out the door, he locked all the doors, set the alarms, and turned to her.

He reached out his hand and stated, "Phone and tablet. I want them".

Felicity had been taken off guard by his behavior, "What?" she asked without moving.

"Felicity", his voice was impatient this time. "Tablet and phone, please".

She furrowed her brow as she walked to her purse and pulled out her phone and tablet. When she returned, he had his phone in his hand and he was sending out a text. Then uncharacteristically, he shut his phone off, grabbed her electronic babies, and shut them off. He threw them all on a table by the door as Felicity gasped, "Oliver, what are you doing? What if something important, or arrow related comes up?"

He reached for her and said as he began pulling her to the kitchen, "You said to give you one interrupted night. Everything else can wait one more night. Besides, I told everyone the phones were off; so if its a real emergency they know to use the program you created at the foundry that will set the special alarm off here and turn our phones on. Arsenal is going out tonight, by himself. Both to make sure he is seen and as a test to see if he can handle it. Dig will be his backup and Lyla is going to runs comms".

Understanding dawned on her as he led her to the kitchen table and made her sit. Giddiness rose up in her and she started to smile excitedly as he obviously had been planning this. She couldn't help but wonder when though, because he couldn't have made all those arrangements in one text a minute ago. Which meant everyone had been in on it. Sneaky little snots, she thought as she watched Oliver pull a bottle of wine from the rack.

She could count on one hand how many times she had known him to take even a sip of alcohol; he usually kept the wine here for when they had dinner as a group. So she couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised when he pulled two glasses from the cabinet. She found it interesting to watch Oliver give in a little to the lifestyle he had once been accustomed to as he uncorked the wine. He brought the cork to his nose, seemed to like what he smelled so he poured a small amount into one glass, swished it around, smelled it, and took a tentative sip. He nodded in approval, and for some reason it just dawned on her that even though their diet consisted of mostly bad take out; that once upon a time Oliver would have been taught to have a refined palate. Oliver, who almost never drank anything but water would have been taught how to taste wines and recognise their differences.

He let the wine breathe for a few minutes while he buzzed around the kitchen before pouring a generous amount in each glass. He brought one to her and kept the other with him on the counter. She took a sip and her eyes nearly rolled back in her head as she let out a moan. This was by far the best Cabernet Franc she had ever had. She looked back to Oliver who was looking at her slightly wide eyed and grinning mischieviously. He started to pull random things out the fridge and setting them on the counter. Felicity sat in her chair sipping wine and watching, wondering when he had managed to go to the grocery store since they never left the house without the other. Another point the media seemed to be feeding on.

"Lyla dropped it all off this morning" he said sheepishly as he turned the stove on and placed a large pan on it. Felicity found herself getting distracted watching him cook for her. Distracted in the best kind of way.

"Huh? OH", she said as realized she must have said that last part about grocery shopping out loud. She took another delicious sip of wine and asked, "How long have you been planning this? When have you planned it?"

He didn't turn to face her as he was now chopping vegetables up as he watched a steak sizzle in the pan. "Yesterday, I told Dig I wanted tonight for us to figure stuff out. He agreed and then I asked Lyla for help because I knew she wasn't a mastermind in the kitchen but had a few simple things she would throw together quickly enough. Roy wanted to try a solo night. Dig and I agreed the timing was right and an appearance needed to be made. He has strict instructions to be seen at a distance though, and only engage if necessary. It would be better that he not be close enough to anyone to actually tell whether it is the Arrow or the Arsenal".

Felicity made a 'hmmmm' noise as she watched Oliver cooking their dinner, "Is there anything I can do?"

He shook his head, "No. I want to do this for you." he replied.

Something about how he had listened to her the week prior about what she wanted for them, and how he seemed eager to do for her what he had never done for other women just kind of made her insides turned to goo. She knew they still needed to talk, but found that they seemed to have fallen back into companionable silence. On a whim, she decided to needle Oliver and see what happened. "Bringing me expensive glasses of red wine and cooking me dinner, Oliver. You keep this up and will ruin me for other men", she said it with humor and ended it with a wink she knew he couldn't see.

She saw him though, and she saw him still. He mumbled something about 'other men' and then scooped up the vegetables and threw them in a bowl somewhat roughly. Felicity couldn't help herself. She stood up and taking her wine with her, she approached Oliver. "What?" she asked, somewhat teasing even though she really wanted to know the answer.

When he turned, Oliver took a sharp intake of breath as he took in how close she was. He let out the breath and eyed her for a moment. The slight uptick in his smile showed her that he knew she was kind of teasing him, but there was something in his eyes that told her he was actually nervous about how things would go tonight. Still, he answered her though. In a strong, quiet voice he said, "I said that I don't want there to be other men. Now will you please go sit back down. I already threw a chicken breast at you I don't want to burn the steak being distracted".

There was something in his tone that was dangerous and made her flush. She didn't move right away and the look Oliver leveled at her didn't really suggest that he wanted to her to move. So smiled at him playfully and then backed away. After she reached out and ran her fingers down his arms slowly, teasingly, and she felt his muscles tense under her fingers. She sat back down, enjoying her wine as Oliver finished their dinner in comfortable silence.

* * *

When dinner was over, he grabbed the bottle of wine to top off their glasses, and pulled her into the living room. The dishes were still there to clean from his preparation of the grilled steak salads, but he didn't care about that right now. Right now, he cared about the way Felicity felt perfect nestled to his side as they walked into his living room. He cared about savoring the first real glass of wine he had in years with her and having a night with just the two of them. He cared about how for the first time he had hope, real hope, that he could be redeemed for his sins and deserve happiness with her. He knew there would be no way for him to ever really tell her, show her, how much he needed her; how much he owed her, for believing in him when no one else did and for bringing him back from the edge when even Dig got comfortable with his killing.

He grabbed the remote off the table, sat on the couch long ways, and pulled Felicity down so she was cradled between his legs and pressed against chest. He turned the TV onto some random marathon of what, he didn't know or care. The point he thought, was that this was utterly normal. A couple sharing wine, relaxing on the couch and watching TV; something that neither of them had, had in years. He revelled in it, the feel of her pressed against her, and saw how easy it could be to fall asleep like this. He found the idea of falling asleep on the couch with Felicity asleep on him appealing enough that he vowed they would do this again.

The silence went on through all of the first episode of some crime show, and half way through the second. All the while, Oliver found himself playing with Felicity's hair, tracing circles on her back, and making sure to take note of how her breathing would change when he touched certain areas of her back. He was amazed at how easy it seemed to be that they could be like this. That they could be like this, and didn't need to feel like they needed to fill the silence with their voices. He knew they needed to talk, but he wished for more hours, days, of being able to just hold her like this while she snuggled into him as if he were a warm bed.

That was when it sunk into him that Felicity was right. They didn't need restaurants and theatres; they needed this. They needed shelter from the outside world and a chance to be what they were to each other without it being restricted by the outside world. Out there, they couldn't be themselves like they could be in here. Out there, a camera would flash and a photo of them would appear in the gossip columns the next day speculating what Oliver Queen was doing in a romantic setting with his former E.A. Out there, they had a front to protect that meant they couldn't 'just be'. They needed to 'just be' with each other.

He shifted so both his hands turned her head to face him. He searched her glittering eyes, and it was clear that she felt the same. He brought her lips to his, and kissed her gently. He lingered, drawing out the feeling of her lips on his; something he never took the time to enjoy in the past. Her lips were soft and warm under his. She didn't submit to him, but gave as well as she took. When he pulled away, her eyes were at half mast and full of lust.

Her words came out soft and slow, "I know we need to talk, but it's so easy to just be like this. Isn't it?" He nodded. Hadn't he just thought the same thing?

He nodded again, at a loss for words as the sparkle in her eyes consumed him. He was about to kiss her again when he heard her speak, "You understand I cannot be your E.A. after this. Right?" Oliver sighed as he shut his eyes. It was not out of frustration, but merely out of need to focus. Her lips were too close for him to think straight now that he'd tasted them. Before he could answer, she ran on "Oliver, you have to understand that it would be inappropriate for me to be your E.A. as well as the fact that we will need some kind of distance professionally after the gossip columns have done their job and I-"

Oliver cut her off, "Felicity, I want nothing more that to have you next to me 24 hours a day, but I recognise that we have a public face we must keep. I would rather have you here at night with me, like this, than 100 feet away and through a glass window screening my phone calls and throwing away my phone messages".

"And it can't affect the team. What we do is too important".

He smiled, "Felicity, it's going to affect the team. This is going to change things. I want it to change things".

She frowned, "No, that's not what I mean. I mean that we need to keep 'us' I mean if there is an us. I mean we haven't really talked about that yet. What you want. What I want. I shouldn't-"

His hand cupped her cheek, "Stop. There's an 'us'. What are you trying to say?"

She sighed into his hand, "That we keep 'us' out of the foundry. If we're having an argument we leave it out of the foundry, and no being physical either. We need to keep professional boundaries in the foundry. We can't let 'us' inhibit the ability of the team to function'.

He nodded as he looked down at her swollen lips, "Agreed, but I can't guarantee I'll always keep my hands off you". He brought her face back to his and kissed her again before she could retort. The kiss was deeper this time as his hands began to roam over her shoulders and down her body. His hands wrapped around her and held her tightly as the kiss grew rougher, harder. His chest burned with the need for air but he didn't want to break away. They stayed this way for some time. Sometimes hands gently roamed, sometimes they stayed still; but always touching, always kissing. It was the slow, deep kisses that melted something inside them both. It didn't need to be rushed and Oliver didn't want to rush. He wanted to take his time with Felicity, wanted to enjoy every step he took with her, that once he rushed through. He wanted to make sure she enjoyed it too.

After a while, Felicity pulled away from him, maneuvered so she straddled his hips, and sat up to look at him. His brain nearly lost all ability for normal body function as he looked at her all flushed, short of breath, and with eyes at half mast. He also knew she could feel what she was doing to him, and something in him went slightly feral for he was the cause of her desire. He watched her, perched on top him, slowing her rapid beating heart one breath at a time. Her eyes widened, but the blush never faded away and she watched him watching her. His desire for her didn't ebb in the slightest.

"Oliver, we still need to talk about...about things….us… We need to talk about us." Her voice was quiet like she was worried that he would be upset at her stopping them. He wasn't mad, far from it. He understood, and he had wanted to do this right by talking first. It was one of the reasons they needed space. It was only that, after all this time of restraining himself from thinking about her, thinking about touching her, and restraining himself from touching her. He found it hard to focus on keeping his hands and lips off her now that they were alone and he could touch her.

In this moment with her perched on his lap, flushed, and looking at him with lips he made puffy it was hard, very hard, to think of anything but touching her and kissing her. He took his hands off of her by sheer force of will alone and said, "Alright, but you're going to need to get off of me first if you expect me to keep my hands to myself".

* * *

Felicity threw her head back laughed, and Oliver groaned as the movement caused her hips to move against him.

Felicity continued to giggle at Oliver as she extricated herself from his lap and moved to the other side of the couch. She smoothed her skirt of her dress down as she tucked her legs under her; her eyes never left Oliver as he watched her with a look of mild pain on his face. She saw the strain in his pants that made his struggle obvious. She felt his pain, she was just as worked up after having his slowly caressing her, playing with her hair, and trying to tease her.

No, she didn't need to think about how his lips felt against her neck or Oliver's hands buried in her hair. She didn't need to think about how, even with Oliver's history, that this felt like it was new to him too. She didn't need to think about how when Oliver touched her it was like he was trying to show his soul to her while drawing out hers. She didn't need to think about how no lover she has ever had, made her feel half as wanted, as desired, as needed; and all he had done was make out with her.

She needed to think about their talk, not how he made her want to drag him upstairs, or not even bother to make it up the stairs. He was watching her intensely, and she was watching him. Neither one knowing what to say as a sudden nervousness fell over them that somehow didn't help tame the need. Finally, quietly, she asked, "What do you want from this Oliver? I mean,"she paused as the sudden emotion that choked her. She looked at the hands she hadn't realised she had laid in her lap. Suddenly she found herself afraid to look at him His intensity, she knew, grew into confusion so she continued. She forced herself to look him in the eyes while wondering why she felt so vulnerable all of the sudden. "Oliver, you know me. I'm an all in kind of girl. I can't do this halfway, but I won't ask anything of you that you're not willing to give. So I need to know what you want from this?"

His eyes never left hers, but she watched that look come over his face that he usually got when he was tried to pick the right words to say. He opened his mouth to say something, let out a small gasp, and shut it. He was silent for at least another minute and Felicity felt her heart start to ache in fear. Not the kind of fear that she felt when Slade had her or her house was getting shot up; but the kind of fear that hurts your soul when you think someone you love fiercely may not love you back. She, of course, tried not to give into it. Oliver wouldn't have told her he meant the 'I love you', he wouldn't have gone through all that he went though tonight if he didn't want something. She just tried to be patient, because she knew true words came very hard for him.

Another minute passed and finally he said, "When I was with Laurel, I loved her but I never saw a future with her." He stopped a moment, frowned and looked away. "I figured one day we would get married, but I never actually pictured it. When I started seeing Sara the first time it was because Laurel started to paint that future for us and I spooked."

He stopped and shame seemed to creep over him as Felicity listened and did her best not to pass judgement, even if she found it a bit hard to hear. For all of Oliver's faults and past escapades, she already knew most of it, and understood to own up to it was hard for him. After another minute, when it seemed clear to Oliver that she seemed intent to stay and listen, he continued.

"With Sara, the second time, we both needed something and it was easy to be with her. I knew she could take care of herself. I didn't have to worry about her getting hurt because of me. I think I was trying to push you away too, trying to distance myself. I treated you terribly and I'm sorry." he stopped and then finally looked back at her.

His eyes took her completely off guard. He looked at her so bare, so open, so vulnerable. In all this time she had known Oliver, he had only looked at her twice like this. When he held her hand in the second lair, and in the Clock Tower. Both times his openness had been because he had no hope; even in the mansion that horrible night, while he had been open, he had still been guarded too. This time was different; he was baring it all for her and she saw hope in his eyes, not despair. Her hand ran over her chest as she tried to still her heart, and stop the tears that wanted to fall at seeing him like this for her because he needed to be completely honest with her, and she needed him to be honest. For the first time, in Oliver's life, he wasn't holding back; and he was doing that for her.

"I can't tell you when I finally accepted what I was trying ignore; I'm not even sure I can recall the moment I gave up trying to fight it. What I can tell you is that I am in awe of you. You're like this ball of light that dragged me kicking and screaming away from the edge, and never failed to go back to the edge and get me again and again". Tears leaked out of his eyes as he reached out to grasp her hand.

"I can tell you that I knew that night, that I meant it. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but you believed in me so fiercely that I couldn't turn around. I knew that it would have been a bigger disservice to you. I had to believe in you just as fiercely as you believe in me. I can tell you, when he called over the comms and told me he had you. I would have let the city burn to save you, except for it would have meant that I wasn't the man you believed me to be ".

Felicity was frozen in place. She wasn't sure she was even breathing, or that her heart hadn't exploded as he continued despite the shock she knew he must see in her face. Oliver moved closer, cupped her face and searched her eyes. "I can tell you I want to be the person you lean on. I want to be with you, but I won't deny that I am scared. I am never going to not be scared that someone might hurt you to get to me. I can tell you that I will never stop questioning whether someone like me should be allowed to love someone as much as I love you. Because I can see a future with you, and I am afraid of what I would do to protect it. So, I'm all or nothing too".

Felicity didn't remember moving. Didn't remember hearing her heart start beating, or her lungs take in air like a few moments ago she could have sworn she was incapable of doing. All she knew was that she thought she heard herself say "Wow!" and then she jumped him.

* * *

Oliver almost didn't catch her she moved so fast. One second his heart felt like he had just poured it out and laid it at her feet to do with as she wished as she gazed back at him in shock. The next, she's in his lap, his arms around her again as she attacks his mouth with hers with such force. such fire he found his need for her edged with desperation . It took everything he had to pull her face away from his to look her in the eyes.

He was shaking, and it wasn't just from his need of her, but from confessing to Felicity things he had never said to another soul. It scared him to be that vulnerable to her. "Felicity", he called out in mild panic. They needed to stop, they needed to slow down. He needed her to speak to him, and he wanted to take this slow. Fast could come later, but tonight, after everything, he needed slow with her. He couldn't explain why, he just knew it needed to be. Felicity pulled back slightly, though their foreheads still touched. His hands cupped her face, her's were on his wrists. She was breathing heavily, and so was he. Still shaking, he was trying to get himself under control, but it was proving difficult now that she was straddling his lap again.

"Felicity", his voice came out quiet, slightly pleading, and shaky this time. "Talk to me please".

She held his scared gaze with her loving one, "Oliver, I knew you had a past. I don't care about it, I mean I care if another psycho ex-girlfriend pops up, but the most important thing to me is that we are both all in going forward. That there is no holding back from here on out. We can work everything else out in time".

He looked at her glowing face, and saw nothing but love staring back at him. He watched as if in slow motion as she once again, removed herself from his lap. Only this time she made to stand. She backed away from him as she walked backwards. She stretched out her hand for him to grab as he understood what she was doing. Her words floated out at him, "Will you come upstairs with me Oliver?"

There wasn't a verbal response from him, but the quiet reaching out to clasp her hand in his as he made to rise up and follow her. She walked backward to the stairs never breaking eye contact or letting go. She turned away as she walked up the stairs, Oliver felt his heart race with emotions. Excitement and desire coursed through him, but so did nervousness and fear. He wasn't afraid of hurting her, he was afraid he wouldn't give her what she needed from him. With every step closer to his room that they took, his heart hammered harder in his chest and he found it harder to breath.

He found himself face to face with her again as she turned to claim his other hand and pull him into his room. It was then that he saw that he wasn't the only one nervous about this. Shining out of her eyes, were the same emotions he was feeling. She walked backwards, pulling him with her, until her knees hit the bed. Nerves were causing her to bite that one corner of her her lip. Oliver sighed as he watched her lips in fascination as she nibbled away. He was the first to move after a moment or two passed as they stood there next to his bed.

His gaze lifted to hers as he reached up with one hand and pulled her glasses off slowly. He could see her eyes flexing as they were adjusting to looking without the glasses. There was something in the way that she looked at him now, that was slightly out of focus but with just as much with love. He leaned slightly to the right, and placed the glasses on his nightstand without looking away. Then he reached up to slowly pull her hair down from the ponytail. She looked up at him as if trying to figure out what it was he was trying to accomplish and all he could think is that, this was how he loved to look at her best. Her hair down, without glasses to impede his ability to look into her beautiful eyes, and without fuschia lips to distract from her natural beauty. Of course, he would never tell her that, because he knew her lipstick collection was very much apart of her bright personality, and because there was a certain distracting appeal to her brightly painted lips as well.

His hand still clasping Felicity's squeezed hers reassuringly as he leaned in to kiss the lip that she was nibbling on. The kiss began slowly as he felt her relax under him. His hand let go of hers as she moved to wrap her arms around him and lift up to meet him halfway. He rested his hands on her waist as they kissed lazily until all the nervousness was gone. Well, not gone, but not given much thought. Still he didn't move or change the kiss until Felicity's hand wandered from his neck, slowly down his arms, to just under his shirt. He pulled away slightly as he felt her tiny fingers graze his stomach to judge her intent. He felt his muscle jerk under her fingers as his pants grew tight from the sensation she created just a little north from where he hoped her fingers might be later. Her eyes told him what she was asking, as her hands slid further and further up his chest, taking his shirt with them as she went and leaving a trail of fiery sensation. He didn't speak, but removed his hands from her and took his shirt the rest of the way off. He wasn't self conscious under her gaze. She had seen his scars before, hell some of them she had stitched herself. It was just one more reminder for him how perfect she was for him that she had never flinched away from his scars.

Oliver's hand tugged on the hem of her dress, asking her the same question she had asked him. Her response, though, was to turn around and show him her zipper. It was like opening up a toy Christmas morning as every new inch of her flesh was exposed as he carefully lowered her zipper. The dress puddled around her small hips as he stopped to wrap his arms around her now bare waist and lean in to let his lips graze her naked shoulder. He shut his eyes as his hands wandered to push the dress down the rest of the way. He felt it land on his feet as Felicity's arms laid over his, and for a moment he let himself give in to the heightened sensations of feeling without sight. The heightened awareness of the silkiness of her bare skin under his hands and the feeling of her muscle clenching and unclenching from the slightest graze of his fingers over a sensitive area and being able to hear the almost inaudible moan that escaped her when he reached up to pull her strapless bra down to expose her tiny, perfect breasts to his hands.

It was then he understood why he needed to do this slowly. He needed to make love to her the way he fell in love with her. He opened his eyes as Felicity turned in his arms and reached around in some move he never understood how women could manage, to unhook her bra. For the first time Oliver saw her in all her natural beauty as she shimmied her hips slightly and pulled her bright pink panties down. He let out a groan as he took in the sight of her.

* * *

Felicity's body felt warm from his heated gaze, which created shivers over her skin in anticipation. She let him gaze at her for another moment before reaching for his belt and calling out his name in a whisper, "Oliver".

He nodded his head, "Yes" he rasped as he brought his mouth to hers. Her shaking hands gliding over his hips causing his pants to fall. After he stepped out of them, he didn't allow her the same luxury to look at him as she gave him, but she wondered if it was because she had seen most of him naked anyway. He guided her backwards until she felt the bed beneath her and his firm body above her. There was something absolutely blissful about feeling naked skin to naked skin and with just the touch of fingertips to places they normally might not roam. It could be soothing, or it could be like sparklers going off in your veins. With Oliver, as she felt his lips begin to wander and follow his fingers to all the places on her he had never seen before it brought on something else. She ran her fingers through his short soft hair and couldn't help but moan as she felt Oliver's scruff over her bare breast. Her legs widened in anticipation even though he seemed content to keep his hips away from hers just yet.

They seemed to enter a state of awareness of only themselves, her body and his body; she didn't measure time or the light of the room, but sensations and sounds. The way his scruff scratched her skin in just the right way to make her arch into his face. The groan that escaped him when she accidentally dug her nails into his shoulder whilst his hands held her down when his lips traced just above where she wanted him most. His laughter against her skin sent goosebumps up her stomach. The way the slow, torturously light brush of his fingertips over her calves left her panting.

How he gasped out, "Felicity" like her name was his salvation when he finally let her touch him. How her heart burst with excitement when she tried to push him on his back and he had conceded. He was a man who was used to being in charge, and she had expected making love with him would be the same; but he conceded to her. Exploring him, touching him, tasting him became all that more precious because there was something in the concession that told her, only to her would he concede. When the time was right, and she knew that neither he nor she could last much longer, he let her take him and set the pace, another concession that made her heart swell. She had come before him, but had barely recovered from the aftershock when he finally gave in to his desire to take control. When they came the second time; he was above her, whispering 'I love you' into her ear.

Sometime later, as they dozed under the blanket all wrapped around each other, Oliver placed light kisses on her shoulder, her ear, her neck, and any other body part in reach. Felicity fell asleep thinking that like so many things with Oliver, he had spoken very little while they made love, but she had understood what he was saying anyway. There wasn't apart of her that he didn't love, cherish, or respect; and his love for her was the kind that was slow, and steady, and built over time. She understood him, and agreed wholeheartedly.


End file.
